January 6, 2000

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Dr. Arol Augsburger has been selected by the Council of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) to receive the 2000 Nicholas A. Cummings Award. The award is for outstanding contributions to the interdisciplinary field and was established in honor of the NAP founder. The award will be presented at an NAP banquet in Bethesda, Maryland, in April.

“I was elated to open my mail and find that the Council of the National Academies has selected me as the recipient of the Cummings Award,” Augsburger said. “What a great honor to be named among the many individuals in the National Academies of Practice representing the best in interdisciplinary care.”

A native of Lima, Ohio, Dr. Augsburger was named dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry in 1994, after serving for more than two decades on the faculty at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. In June, he was named president of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.

Augsburger received his O.D. degree from The Ohio State University College of Optometry and a master of science from The Ohio State University Graduate School. He has been honored with numerous state, local and national awards and appointments, including a selection by the American Optometric Association as National Optometrist of the Year in 1986.

NAP is an organization of distinguished practitioners and scholars from 10 healthcare professions, including optometry, founded to promote interdisciplinary practices and to advise on national health policies.