Call for Nominations for ASCO Achievement Awards

Call for Nominations for ASCO Achievement Awards

Deadline to submit nominations is January 22, 2025

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry is now accepting nominations for the various achievement awards that will be presented at the ASCO Annual Business Meeting in June 2025.  

How to Nominate a Candidate

Nominations for any of the awards listed below require a letter of nomination addressing how the candidate meets the specific criteria for the award. Nominations must also include a letter signed by the chief executive officer (dean/president) of the candidate’s school/college of optometry, as well as with a copy of the nominee’s CV. All nominations will be reviewed by ASCO’s Awards and Resolutions Committee.

The Nominator(s) will be asked to submit a 90 second video presenting the accomplishments of the candidate to the award. The videos pertaining to the award recipients will be featured at the ASCO Annual Business Meeting in June 2025.

Nominations should be submitted by close of business on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Please email your nomination letter with supporting materials to Sara Lau at slau@opted.org.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The ASCO Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding individual who, over an extended period of time, provided exceptional leadership, made outstanding contributions, and displayed exemplary commitment and dedication to ASCO and optometric education. This award is given “for unique and exceptional accomplishments and contributions to ASCO and optometric education.”

The award is not necessarily an annual award or tied directly to retirements.

Herbert Wertheim Award

This award recognizes remarkable individuals or organizations that have accomplished high-impact, ground-breaking, and innovative programs or initiatives, and contributed substantially, or have the potential to sustainably address, eye and vision health and/or the social determinants of eye health and vision care, at the local, national, or global level.

The recipient currently receives a specially designed bronze statue.

Dr. Jack Bennett Innovation in Optometric Education Award

The Dr. Jack Bennett Innovation in Optometric Education Award was established in March 2000 as the “Innovation in Optometric Education Award" to recognize an ASCO volunteer for outstanding leadership or an outstanding innovation in optometric education that significantly impacts ASCO as an organization. The award was named in Dr. Jack Bennett’s honor in June 2000. Dr. Bennett, a creative leader in optometric education, was dean at three optometric institutions. 

Rising Star Award

This award recognizes a full-time faculty member or administrator with no more than seven years of service at a school or college of optometry and less than 10 years in optometry who has made noteworthy contribution(s) to fulfilling the mission, strategic objectives, or programs of ASCO through service on committees, groups, task forces or special interest groups, or through special project work.

Nominees will have also demonstrated outstanding contributions to their school or college of optometry in at least one of the following areas:

• Teaching, which may include classroom, laboratory instruction or course development
• Scholarship, which may include grant writing, research, publications, presentations or other scholarly and creative activities
• Administration, which may include general administration, planning, development or evaluation activities
• Professional service, which may include work on the community, state or national levels that represents or promotes ASCO or optometric education.

A majority of all nominees’ professional career should be as a faculty member or administrator at a school or college of optometry.

A contribution of $1,000 will be made to the faculty member’s or administrator’s institution designated for the recipient’s faculty and/or professional development. A commemorative award will also be presented to the “Rising Star” at the ASCO Annual Business Meeting.

Industry Leadership Award

The ASCO Ophthalmic Industry Leadership Award recognizes an individual from a current or past Corporate Contributor partner company who demonstrates exemplary support of ASCO and its member institutions. 

The individual serves as an example for his/her colleagues in industry and has made exceptional and meaningful contributions to the advancement of ASCO and optometric education. 

Nominations will only be accepted from the ASCO Board of Directors and ASCO staff.  

For More Information

Contact Sara Lau, ASCO’s Business Operations Manager at slau@opted.org, for additional information.