PINELLAS PARK, Fla.—The winners of Transitions Optical’s annual Students of Vision Scholarship have been named in this year’s Share Your Impact contest. Through the Transitions Students of Vision Scholarship Facebook App, more than 45 optometry and opticianry students submitted a video, short story, photograph, poster, drawing, painting or illustration demonstrating how they will use (or have used) their professional expertise to impact the lives of others. Finalists were selected based on their answers to two questions: 1) How did, or will you, use your professional expertise to make a difference in the lives of others? 2) What impact did, or will, it have in their lives?

Ten students won grand prize packages of $500, an all-expense-paid trip to Tampa, Fla., for a weekend of education and leadership training from industry experts, and a tour of the Transitions Optical headquarters here. An additional 11 students received $100. The scholarship is supported by the Transitions Healthy Sight for Life Fund. 

“The goal of our scholarship contest was to encourage students to be inspired to make a difference in the optical industry while enjoying what they do, and we saw that exhibited in their submissions,” said Cheri Guy, professional development manager, Transitions Optical.

The grand prize winners are: Clay Connolly, Michigan College of Optometry; Detlef Hans Sleichter, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University School of Optometry; Elsa Caroline, SUNY College of Optometry; Jebadiah Boseck, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College; Katherine Snikrah, The New England College of Optometry; Linh Phan, University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry; Taylor Chung, Seneca College; and Vanessa Meyerowitz, SUNY College of Optometry.

Additional finalists include: Allie Thompson, Western University College of Optometry; Elizabeth Rafi, Durham Technical Community College; Candace Brown, University of Houston College of Optometry; Hector Santos, Erie Community College; Kishor Sapkota, Universidade do Minho; Lara DiPasquale, University of Waterloo, School of Optometry and Vision Science; Sara Rosen, Hillsborough Community College; Sudheshna Miryala, InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, School of Optometry; and Vitto Mena, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.