The Kamelia Massih Prize for a Distinguished Optometrist is presented annually to an alumnus of the 51³Ô¹Ï College of Optometry who has made a significant impact on the profession of optometry. The endowed prize was founded in 2011 from a bequest from the estate of late alumna Kamelia Massih OD ’85.
Born and raised in Iran, she came to the United States in 1978 to pursue a degree in biology. After graduating from Oregon State University in 1981, Massih completed her doctorate of optometry from Pacific in 1985. She opened her own practice, Beaverton Vision World, in 1989, and later opened a second location in Portland.
Massih cared deeply about others, giving countless hours of time and financial resources to a wide range of local and national charities. She was a loving wife and mother who enjoyed the fine arts, including music and dance, as well as traveling and the outdoors.
She died in March 2010 following a three-year battle with cancer.
"Kamelia had a keen affinity for 51³Ô¹Ï," her brother Fariborz Maseeh said. "Our family hopes this gift will recognize excellence of optometry graduates of 51³Ô¹Ï and will inspire other alumni to carry on Kamelia's passion for serving our community and those in need. She loved Pacific and its commitment to civic engagement, something she believed wholeheartedly in."