Eye on the future: WSSU alumnus creates scholarship that opens doors for aspiring optometrists

Gabriel Russell, Kierra Washington inspire next generation of Black optometrists

Dr. Gabriel Russell, a proud Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) alumnus, is on a mission to change the future of optometry – one student at a time. A passionate advocate for equity in eye care, Russell is helping to build a pipeline for Black students pursuing careers in optometry through his creation of the WSSU Eye Bridge Scholarship.

From the outset, WSSU stood out as the perfect fit for Russell. “My cousin was an alumnus and a member of the band,” he said. He raved about the academics and student life. “The proximity to home and the excitement of attending an HBCU was what pushed me toward my decision to attend.”

As a student, Russell was involved in the Positive Student Awareness Association and after graduation in 2007, he accepted a position as lab manager in the WSSU Life Sciences Department (Department of Biological Sciences today). It was there, under the mentorship of then professor and chair, Dr. Jill Harp, that he was encouraged to attend a Pre-Optometry Summer Program in Philadelphia, reigniting his long-held dream of becoming an optometrist.

Russell went on to graduate from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry housed at Salus at Drexel University in 2018. He has since built a clinical career that begin in Philadelphia before relocating to the southern metro Atlanta area, where he is also a lecturer for the “Balm in Gilead” diabetes initiative and serves on the Clinical Advisory Board at Morehouse School of Medicine. He is also interested in conducting research on alternative methods in reducing the ravages of glaucoma and helping patients reduce their probability of diabetic complication of the eyes.

His passion lies not only in patient care but in mentoring future optometrists. That’s what led to him starting the Eye Bridge Scholarship.

Established at WSSU’s 2022 Homecoming, the Eye Bridge Scholarship was created to remove the financial and systemic barriers that often prevent underrepresented students from entering optometry school.

“We know that one of the biggest obstacles is cost,” Russell said. “Studies show that most African Americans and underserved students don’t have someone to guide them or the financial means to pay for applications, test prep and materials.”

The scholarship includes a non-endowed $750 award, ready now to help a WSSU student cover costs such as the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), application fees and study materials. The endowed portion, still in development, will provide sustained funding for future students as more donors contribute.

The scholarship represents hope and opportunity for WSSU students dreaming of careers in eye care, he said.

“The Eye Bridge Scholarship exemplifies the kind of impact our alumni can have when they combine passion with purpose,” said Kevan Turman, vice chancellor for university advancement at WSSU. “Dr. Russell is not just giving back, he’s investing forward. This scholarship will help remove barriers for our students and open new pathways in a field where they are greatly needed.”

Russell is not the only Ram making strides in the optometric field. Dr. Kierra Washington of Charlotte, also a WSSU alumna, Class of 2015, has forged her own remarkable path.

After working as an optometric technician at LensCrafters while studying for the OAT, she was accepted into the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University in 2017. Upon earning her Doctor of Optometry in 2021, she passed board exams in three states: Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina – and has practiced in all three. She now serves patients full time in Charlotte.

The two of them spoke with WSSU students earlier this year about their career path and opportunities in optometry.

“My time at WSSU prepared me for my professional journey by helping me develop a strong foundation in the sciences and critical thinking skills, while also teaching me the importance of time management, discipline and empathy,” Washington said.

“Had it not been for WSSU,” Russell reflected, “I wouldn’t have met my wife, been blessed with my family, or had the privilege of introducing this honorable profession to future generations with the Eye Bridge Scholarship.”

His advice for current Rams? “Study to learn, not just to make the grade. Take full advantage of the incredible faculty and community at WSSU. They invested in my success once it became apparent that I was focused on a goal.”