UIW Former Dean Inducted into Optometry Hall of Fame

San Antonio– April 9, 2025 – The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is pleased to recognize that Dr. Timothy Wingert, former Dean of the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry, has been inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame. The award is administered through the American Optometric Association and honors optometrists who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the optometric profession.

Wingert served the students of UIW for over a decade and worked as Dean for eight of those years. In addition to being a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, he is a diplomate in the Section on Public Health and Environmental Vision, where he also serves as past chair. Among his many accolades, he is a founder member of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics and one of only three U.S. optometrists to have earned fellowship in that organization.<>

Wingert says he was amazed and grateful to hear the news of his induction and humbled by the fact that he was chosen among the more than 44,000 optometrists in the United States.

“It is very special to be recognized for what you have done in your professional career,” says Wingert. “But it would not have been possible without having good colleagues who were always encouraging and working to improve things.”

Beyond curriculum development, much of Wingert’s professional work has centered on access to care issues and providing optometric care to underserved populations. He has authored or co-authored over 100 refereed publications and peer-reviewed presentations, most of which have concentrated on access to care issues and providing optometric care to populations in need.

Photo: Dr. Timothy Wingert/2025 National Optometry Hall of Fame Inductee

Media Contact: Michael Valdes, Media and Public Relations Manager, Office of Communications & Brand Marketing, (210) 829-6001, (210) 422-4052 or michael.valdes@uiwtx.edu

About UIW

With over 140 years of tradition, the University of the Incarnate Word is committed to educational excellence in a context of faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. UIW programs constitute a liberal education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions. Founded in 1881, UIW is the largest Catholic university in the state and the fourth largest private university in Texas. UIW students can choose from degrees offered at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The University is committed to graduating students with the lowest amount of debt load possible and to help them secure a career that lifts their lives, their families and their communities. With a beautiful main campus in the heart of San Antonio, in 2019, UIW purchased a 10-acre landmark property at 4119 Broadway which increased the footprint of the UIW Broadway Campus by 20%. The building is now known as Founders Hall. UIW has locations throughout San Antonio, two campuses in Mexico and a European Study Center in Strasbourg, France. UIW is a leader in international education, with over 146 “sister schools” in 45 countries and it is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution. The University is a member of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference and is proud to have 25 teams representing 15 different sports. UIW is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.