AOF Announces 2016 VSP Global Scholarship Winners

The American Optometric Foundation (AOF) — an affiliate of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) — and VSP Global have announced recipients of this year’s Practice Excellence Scholarships.

Through the program, nearly $200,000 will be distributed to top-performing fourth-year optometry students in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. Two students from each school or college of optometry were selected by nomination of their individual institutions to receive the scholarship. The scholarships are funded through VSP's Eyes of Hope® Global Charitable Fund in collaboration with FYi Doctors in Canada (for Canadian recipients) and is administered through the AOF.

This year's winners are:

• Illinois College of Optometry — Jamie Blavat & Emily Hutchins
• Indiana University School of Optometry — Brittany Foerg & Tyler Vermeer
• Inter American University of Puerto, School of Optometry — Sai Ka Oscar Tsang & Dominic D'Orazio
• Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — Detlef (Hans) Sleichter & Anna Liew
• Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University — Gabrielle Smiley & Hannah Rillema
• Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry — Dianne Settlage & Desiree Vanderstar
• New England College of Optometry — Avani Dave & Michael Merritt
• Northeastern State University Oklahoma, College of Optometry — Pamela Martin & Laura Langford
• NOVA Southeastern University College of Optometry — Kaily Tschantz & Justin Chelette
• Ohio State University College of Optometry — Taylor McGann & Nicole Mikels
• Pacific University College of Optometry — Kelsey Elrod & Paul Nefedov
• Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University — Carly J. Grodin & Jenna Roney
• Rosenberg School of Optometry University of the Incarnate Word — Kirsti Ramirez & William Reid Cluff
• Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University — Michael Tran & Emma Ly
• Southern College of Optometry — Tyler Boone & Ben Roach
• State University of New York College of Optometry — Karen Levy & Drake R. Devos
• University of Alabama at Birmingham — Ellen Prewitt & Kelly Cleary
• University of California-Berkeley, School of Optometry — Sloan Rajadhyksha & Annie Lee
• University of Houston, College of Optometry — Elisabeth Hottel & Michael O'Neal
• University of Missouri -St. Louis, College of Optometry — Peter Bako & Elias Toubia
• University of Montreal, School of Optometry — Annie-Pier & Solange LaCroix
• University of Waterloo, School of Optometry and Vision Science — Victoria Lomax & Karin Lypka
• Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry — Katherine Ha & Victoria Chan