New England College of Optometry (NECO) is proud to announce its 2025 Distinguished Alumni, recognizing two exceptional graduates whose careers exemplify professional excellence, compassionate patient care, and enduring contributions to the field of optometry and their communities. This year’s honorees are Maureen Hanley, OD ’81 (posthumously) and Guang-Ji Wang, OD ’92.
Each year, NECO bestows the Distinguished Alumni Award upon graduates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, a deep commitment to service, and a lasting impact on the profession. The 2025 honorees reflect the breadth of optometry’s influence—from education and community health to global collaboration and academic leadership. Though their career paths differ, both Dr. Hanley and Dr. Wang share a steadfast belief in the power of optometrists to advance patient care, mentor future professionals, and move the profession forward through collaboration.
“Through their leadership, service, and unwavering commitment to the profession, Dr. Maureen Hanley and Dr. Guang-Ji Wang exemplify the highest ideals of New England College of Optometry,” said Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, Dipl., President and CEO. “We are honored to recognize them as NECO’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni and celebrate the profound and lasting impact of their contributions.”
Maureen Hanley, OD ’81
Dr. Hanley passed away on March 8, 2025, at the age of 69.
Dr. Maureen Hanley, a beloved educator, clinician, and mentor, passed away on March 8, 2025, at the age of 69. A native of Lincoln, Rhode Island, Dr. Hanley joined the NECO faculty in 1984 and devoted more than four decades to educating and inspiring generations of optometrists throughout New England.
Renowned for her dedication to teaching and student success, Dr. Hanley received NECO’s Dupuis Pellerin Award for Faculty Excellence and the Foster Namias Award for superior classroom instruction. Her influence extended well beyond the classroom. She provided compassionate eye care to veterans for 14 years at the VA Medical Center in West Roxbury and later served patients at Uphams Corner Community Health Center, ensuring access to care for underserved populations.
Dr. Hanley was widely known for her generosity and humanity. She served as a mentor, confidant, and maternal figure to many students, opening her home to those in need and creating a sense of belonging for students far from their families. Even while confronting her own health challenges, she remained committed to service, volunteering with the International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation to support others living with the disease.
Dr. Hanley’s legacy lives on through the countless students she taught, the patients she cared for, and the values of compassion and service she embodied.
Guang-Ji Wang, OD ’92
Dr. Guang-Ji Wang has played a transformative role in advancing optometric education internationally and strengthening global academic partnerships.
A central figure in the establishment of optometric education programs in China, Dr. Wang has been instrumental in building and sustaining NECO’s long-standing relationship with Wenzhou Medical University (WMU).
After earning a medical degree in China, Dr. Wang came to the United States in 1981 to study retinal laser applications at Harvard’s Schepens Eye Research Institute. He later returned to China, where he taught, conducted research, and practiced ophthalmology at WMU. Recognizing the critical need for optometric education, Dr. Wang, alongside colleague Dr. Qu Jia, helped establish optometry as a discipline at the university.
Dr. Wang is widely regarded as the linchpin of the NECO–WMU partnership and served as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at WMU. He currently holds the title of Adjunct Professor of Optometry at NECO. His work has influenced the education and development of countless optometrists and strengthened international collaboration in eye care.
