Photos by Andrea Mabry
Recipients of 53 scholarships and the donors who established them were honored at the UAB School of Optometry’s inaugural Scholarship Luncheon.
The donors of three new scholarships were also honored at the event, which was held April 28 at the Edge of Chaos in UAB’s Lister Hill Library.
“Scholarships are important for so many reasons,” said Kelly Nichols, O.D., dean of the School in her opening remarks atluncheon. “Not only do they make a great impact on the students who receive them by lessening their financial burden, but they also allow students to focus on their education, which allows them to become more well-rounded clinicians and leaders in the profession of optometry, and at the same time, it enables the School to recruit the best and brightest.”
Both a scholarship donor and a recipient made remarks. Jimmy Bartlett, O.D., professor emeritus for the School, spoke to attendees. His scholarship is the scholarship is the Dr. Jimmy D. Bartlett/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship. Nathania Nhouyvanisvong, a fourth-year student at the School and the recipient of both the Dr. Aharon Sternberg Endowed Optometry Scholarship and the Alcon annual scholarship, also gave remarks.
Three new scholarships were also introduced, and the donors were recognized. The first was the John F. Amos, O.D., M.S., D.O.S., Endowed Optometry Scholarship, which was started by alumni to honor the years of service of John Amon, O.D., the fourth dean of the School.
Amos, who is now professor and dean emeritus, established a scholarship in 2009 with his wife, Catherine Amos. The new scholarship will be awarded starting in the 2017-2018 academic year.
The second scholarship recognized was the SECO University Endowed Optometry Scholarship, which will be offered to students in the 2018-2019 academic year. This scholarship is the third funded by SECO International.
Robert Rutstein, O.D., and Judy Rutstein were honored for their newly established scholarship, The Robert and Judy Rutstein Binocular Vision Endowed Optometry Scholarship, which will be awarded in the 2017-2018 academic year.
See more photos of the event here.
Here are the scholarship recipients for 2016-2017:
ENDOWED OPTOMETRY SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS:
Abel Family Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Albert Chen
The Clark F. Amos Endowed Optometry Presidential Scholarship
Sarah Berry
Drs. John & Catherine Amos Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Maggie Overstreet
Dr. Arol Augsburger/Dean's Community Advisory Committee Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Andrew Gisel
Abraham Azman Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Betsy Stevenson
Dr. Jimmy D. Bartlett/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Derrick Franklin
Birmingham Area Optometric Society Endowed Optometry Award Fund
Shannon Kirchmer
Richard B. Booth Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Sara Moses
Helen & David Bunkin Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Katherine Edwards
Dr. Lester Caplan/Ciba Vision Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Kelly Cleary
Stephanie Ross
Douglas & Connie Clark Endowed Leadership Scholarship in Optometry
Sarah Driscoll
Dr. Elbert A. "Bert" Coshatt/Alumni Endowed Scholarship
Paul Brown
Bob & Hulene Crosby Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Sterlin Blakley
Dr. Ernest Debakey Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Khanh Trinh
The Lee Dickerson Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Kate Oliver
Energen/Alagasco Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Mohammad Zaid Aljabi
Dr. Jess Boyd Eskridge/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Claire Mowrer
Essilor Of America Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Jonathan Davis
Haley Elizabeth Hixon
Ethan Mengle
Brittany Moates
Brandon Perry
The Faculty of Optometry & Vision Sciences Endowed Student Scholarship
Emma Wilhite Scott
The Martin D. & Rita Gaffney Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Patricia Kranz
Dr. Kristine B. Hopkins Vision Therapy Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Lauren Spencer
Hoya Vision Care Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Betsy Stevenson
Eydie C. Jones Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Tan Duong
Drs. James & Robin Marbourg Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Ross Huggins
Dr. Charles A. "Scotty" Mccallum/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Samantha Elliott
New Orleans Contact Lens Society Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Elise Debruler
Marston Mackenzie
New Orleans Contact Lens Society II Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Tracy Mai
Drs. Rod & Debi Nowakowski Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Neil Doppler
Dr. E.C. Overton/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Samara Perryman
Henry B. Peters, O.D./Dean's Community Advisory Committee Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Jessica Grimes
Fredric & Marion Rosemore Family Foundation Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Javeya Williams
Schaeffer Eye Center Endowed Optometry Award Fund
Caleb Cart
Smith-Hammonds Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Melanie Chwalek
SECO International, LLC, Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Emily Chaney
Southern Council Of Optometrists, Inc. Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Margi Patel
Dr. Aharon Sternberg Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Nathania Nhouyvanisvong
Dr. Edgar M. Warr/Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Sarah Berry
The Vision Care Institute Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Veronica Ferris-Metzger
Whitewater Creek Symposia Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Julia Pischek
Dr. Bradford W. Wild/Dean's Community Advisory Committee Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Giselle Pacheco
John A. Williamson Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Edyta Bogusz
Dr. Paul S. Worrell Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Elora Robbani
Reed Schmidt
Sylvia D. Worrell Endowed Optometry Vision Science Scholarship
Priyanvada Pitale
Cameron Postnikoff
Carl Zeiss Vision Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Nicole Leo
ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Alcon
Nathania Nhouyvanisvong
American Optometric Foundation (AOF) J & J Vision Care Inc. Award
Kate Oliver
J. Pat Cummings American Optometric Foundation Scholarship
Jessica Arighi Boyd
Kentucky Optometric Foundation Scholarship Award
Britt Borders
Jason Fort
NAS Alumni Association Scholarship
Claire Mowrer
Taylor Phillips
Priyamvada Pitale
Nereida Ragazzoni
Professional Eye Care Associates Of America (PECAA)
Taylor Phillips
Vision Service Plan (VSP)
Kelly Cleary
Ellen Prewitt
Society of Professional Optometrists in Georgia Scholarship
Caitlyn Steedley
Alabama Scholarship Recipients
Daniel Cason
Mason Childers
William Gibson
Mohammed Haque
Kelsie Morgan