SAN RAMON, Calif.—Building upon the success of its array of academic programs, CooperVision has introduced several enhancements to provide additional educational opportunities to U.S. and Canadian optometry students and residents. These include the integration of specialty contact lens initiatives, the rebranding of its student-focused philanthropic program and a new in-person educational summit for members of the CooperVision Student Leadership Societies. CooperVision’s Give Brightly program—formerly known as Adopt-a-Patient—offers optometry students additional “hands-on” fitting experience while enabling them to gift a one-year supply of contact lenses to patients in need.

While the company previously offered a separate and similar initiative for its specialty lenses, Give Brightly now includes CooperVision’s diverse portfolio of soft and specialty contact lenses, including MiSight 1 day for age-appropriate children. Through the program, each student may select one patient per academic year to fit with complimentary CooperVision 1 day, scleral, hybrid or CRT contact lenses, and then provide the appropriate follow-up care.

Members of CooperVision’s Student Leadership Societies will also have access to a new benefit this year. These students, who represent schools and colleges of optometry across the U.S. and Canada, will attend an educational meeting with networking opportunities at CooperVision’s facilities in Rochester, N.Y. The three-day summit includes tours of two of the company’s global, Rochester-based manufacturing and distribution sites, as well as a variety of educational sessions.
 
Student Leadership Society members are second- or third-year optometry students selected by faculty at their schools to serve a one-year term. Selected students receive several other opportunities throughout the year, including a grant to attend the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting. A list of the 2023-2024 members can be viewed here.

“At CooperVision, we believe that advancing the profession includes investing in the future of optometry,” said Michele Andrews, OD, vice president, professional and government affairs, Americas, CooperVision. “From access to industry conferences to valuable networking connections and everything in between, we are deeply committed to strengthening the academic experience of today’s optometry students with ample learning opportunities that will best support the next generation of eyecare professionals.”

In addition to Give Brightly and the Student Leadership Societies, CooperVision’s academic programs include the Best Practices Student Program, complimentary contact lenses for students and Myopia Management Certifications with MiSight 1 day and Paragon CRT. To learn more about CooperVision’s student programs, click here.