VSP Vision News

VSP Vision News

VSP Vision and AAOF Announce the 2023 Practice Excellence Scholarship Recipients

VSP Vision™, in partnership with the American Academy of Optometry Foundation, is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 Practice Excellence Scholarship. The Practice Excellence Scholarship is a long-standing and prestigious scholarship that represents the very best in what optometry has to offer in patient care and practice management.

Every year, VSP® awards up to $4,000 each to two fourth-year students at every institution of optometry in the United States and Canada. Scholarship recipients are selected based on the students’ commitment to enter the independent practice of optometry, and their clinical and academic performance.

This year, nearly $200,000 was awarded to 49 scholarship recipients. In addition to scholarship money, every winner received a travel grant to attend the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting in October held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Meet the recipients of the 2023 Practice Excellence Scholarship:

• Cayden Carpenter – Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University
• Cole Rayfield – Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University
• Emily Strand – Illinois College of Optometry
• Silishia Wong – Illinois College of Optometry
• Michelle McKamey – Indiana University School of Optometry
• Nicholas Bantz – Indiana University School of Optometry
• Alaina Conturso – Inter American University of Puerto Rico
• Armando Vazquez – Inter American University of Puerto Rico
• Benjamin Choiniere – Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Jillian Scarpanito – Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Leah Jipping – Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University
• Nicholas Keinath – Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University
• Eryka Uehling – Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University
• Husna Syeda – Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University
• Josh Normandeau – New England College of Optometry
• Zach Turple – New England College of Optometry
• Abbie Etter – Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
• Christina Thompson – Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
• Abishna Jayasundararajah – Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
• Samantha Round – Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
• Mary J. Avisado – Pacific University College of Optometry
• Nathan Patterson – Pacific University College of Optometry
• Zakary Lake – Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
• Megan Dunn – Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
• Dhara Patel – Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
• Mitchell Evans – Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
• Deema Mansour – Southern College of Optometry
• Madhurima Kota – Southern College of Optometry
• Jessica Moskovich – State University of New York College of Optometry
• Kateryna Nahornyak – State University of New York College of Optometry
• Pearson Miller – The Ohio State University College of Optometry
• Madeline Moser – The Ohio State University College of Optometry
• Adam Litalien – Universite de Montreal, School of Optometry
• Elizabeth Lapointe – Universite de Montreal, School of Optometry
• Ryan Peardon – University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry
• Keyur Savla – University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry
• Ahmad Waheed Ahmadzada – University of California, Berkeley, Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science
• Eloisa Morfin – University of California, Berkeley, Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science
• Adrian Velasco – University of Houston College of Optometry
• Zachary Ney – University of Houston College of Optometry
• Brad Gamache – University of Missouri at St. Louis College of Optometry
• Charles E. Hauff – University of Missouri at St. Louis College of Optometry
• Brittany Morris – University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Optometry
• Eric Joseph Gonzalez – University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry
• Mateo Alvarez – University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry
• Judit Antonyrajan – University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science
• Natali Milosevski – University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science
• Luis Manuel Rego II – Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry
• Talisa Chhabra – Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry

Over the last 10 years, VSP® has provided more than $3 million in scholarship support to optometry students as part of our commitment to support the future of the profession. Learn more about how VSP is supporting the next generation of optometrists here.