Dr. Alicia Carroll ’88 remembers well the liberal arts classes she took at Syracuse University. That wide range of classes—in African American studies, film, art and psychology—developed her breadth of knowledge and sharpened her skills in creative thinking and analysis. Her well-rounded undergraduate experience helped to form the solid foundation on which she has built a successful medical practice and become an engaged citizen in her community.

A former Syracuse University senior class marshal and recipient of a 2006 Chancellor’s Citation for Distinguished Achievement in Medicine, Carroll will share her experiences as the keynote speaker at the annual College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate convocation on Saturday, May 12, at 8:30 a.m. in the Carrier Dome. At this convocation, undergraduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, will celebrate the culmination of their academic careers at Syracuse University.

Dr. Carroll owns a thriving practice, Alicia Carroll M.D. Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center, in Hickory, N.C. Dr. Karin Ruhlandt, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, says the graduating students are fortunate to have the opportunity to hear from Dr. Carroll.

“Alicia is a first-generation alumna whose dedication and determination have helped her make a mark in the medical field,” says Ruhlandt. “Students and their families will be inspired by her story—how access and opportunity, within a liberal arts framework, translate into professional success.”

Carroll’s tenacity to fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a physician resulted in her decision to learn basic research principles as a biology major. “I am inquisitive by nature, and for me the details on how things work have always piqued my interest,” says Carroll. While an undergraduate, she worked on research projects in the Department of Biochemistry at SUNY-Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse. That experience, combined with her liberal arts experience, inspired her to continue pursuing her passion by attending medical school.

“The College of Arts and Sciences positively impacted my life’s trajectory,” says Carroll, a member of the college’s Board of Visitors (BOV). “Faculty and advisors helped me become a well-rounded medical school applicant by encouraging me to further hone my creative talents and highlight my liberal arts background. In fact, my love of sciences and the arts is what inspired me to choose the medical subspecialty of oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery. My liberal arts experience also gave me the entrepreneurial spirit that has allowed me to successfully design and operate my own unique practice model, which has given me the confidence to truly realize my dreams.”

After completing her undergraduate studies at Syracuse University, Carroll was awarded the Robert Wood Johnson Student Research Scholarship, which earned her a student scholar year at the Johns Hopkins-Wilmer Eye Institute.

Dr. Carroll earned her medical degree from UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, formerly, Rutgers Medical School—an experience capped off by an ophthalmology residency at the SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, where she served as chief administrative resident. Following her residency, Dr. Carroll was one of 12 residents accepted into the Academy of Ophthalmology’s prestigious two-year fellowship in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery, which she completed at the University of Toronto.

She has lectured and presented papers on a variety of topics in the field before such distinguished bodies and institutions as the National Medical Society, the Canadian Medical Society and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Dr. Carroll relocated to North Carolina, where in 2005 she opened and remains the sole proprietor of the state’s only independently owned and operated ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive center. The center was developed exclusively for corrective (medically necessary), cosmetic and reconstructive surgery following trauma and or other medical conditions of the periocular region (eyes) and face, as well as a range of non-invasive laser skin treatments and non-surgical aesthetic procedures.

In addition to the college’s BOV, Dr. Carroll currently serves on the board for Catawba County Health Partners. She has also served on the board of visitors for Lenoir-Rhyne University and the Hickory Community Theater and participates in a number of community organizations focused on a wide range of interests addition to health, such as arts, theater and film.

For more information about Commencement Weekend (May 12-13), visit commencement.syr.edu/commencement-weekend.