Latest News The Vision Council and National Optometric Association Announce New Opportunity Scholarship By Staff Monday, April 13, 2015 12:18 AM ALEXANDRIA, V.A.—The Vision Council announced a new Opportunity Scholarship Program in partnership with the National Optometric Association (NOA). This new program seeks to promote the education of optometric students as well as further the advancement of the optometric industry as a whole. A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded by The Vision Council to one OD candidate at each school of optometry with an active NOSA chapter. Each scholarship will be renewable for one additional year if the recipient is still an active OD candidate who is meeting the eligibility criteria or has successfully graduated. In addition, the applicants are automatically entered to win one of 23 $500 travel grants to the International Vision Expo. Eligible candidates must be rising 4th year students (e.g. graduating in the class of 2016), maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher and be a member of an active NOSA chapter. Along with this, the candidates must participate in optometric-related community service, show an interest in working with underserved populations and demonstrate a financial need. The Vision Council works to promote within the eyecare industry as the global voice for vision care products and services. They are also proactively working to provide a healthy optical profession and industry by stressing the importance of comprehensive eye exams to consumers through their Think About Your Eyes campaign. “The mission of our organization—to promote growth of the industry and really position members to be successful in a competitive marketplace—is accomplished through education, advocacy, consumer research, strategic relationship building and industry forums,” said Mike Daley, CEO of The Vision Council. “In an effort to build on that mission, we’ve partnered with the NOA to offer scholarships to students participating in active chapters of the National Optometric Student Association, which in turn works to promote industry growth and the next generation of ODs.”