At this year’s annual Eyeball Gala, third-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) students in the Class of 2027 at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Drexel University’s Elkins Park Campus, offered a hint of old Hollywood with the theme “The Retina Royale,” incorporating reds, blacks, and golds into its soirée decor.
The Eyeball is a cherished tradition for third-year students to celebrate academic and clinical achievements, honor milestones, and recognize the hard work and dedication they have completed to date. “The Eyeball is a final celebration with all of our classmates before we leave for externships,” said Madeline Turo ‘27OD, the class treasurer, who, along with class president John Adegoke ‘27OD, vice president Anjali Patel ‘27OD, and others, helped plan the event. “The next time we will all be in a room together will be graduation.”
The evening began with a cocktail hour featured a raw seafood bar, Mediterranean appetizers, sushi, and Asian cuisine. After dinner, there were superlatives handed out to classmates, which led to many laughs amongst the group. The floor opened up for dancing as well as the photo booth, for people to capture fun memories from the night.
The event attracted 167 students, chaperones, and guests. Planning and fundraising for the event began in June 2025, with efforts that included selling PCO merchandise, hosting a sunglasses fundraiser, and organizing a night out at Citizens Bank Park to watch the Phillies.
