Registered undergraduate, postgraduate students studying at an optometry school or graduate students studying for professional qualifying examinations at an institution outside North America were eligible to apply for the WOF Student Travel Program, as long as their country or educational institute was a member of the World Council of Optometry. Preference was provided to students who had had a poster accepted for the joint meeting. Requirements included: a summary of academy training and honors; a paper concerning how attendance would advance high quality, accessible eyecare health and vision care; a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s professor or academic advisor; and those awarded the WOF Student Travel Fellowship were required to be registered for the joint meeting and be present at the International Reception.

The 2019 World Optometry Foundation Student Travel Fellowship Awardees are:

Alvin Munsamy, BOptom, MOptom from South Africa
Isaura Ilorena Dos Santos, BOptom from Mozambique
Memoonna Arshad, MPhil from Australia
Nabeela Hasrod, BOptom, MPhil from South Africa
Nnenne Onu, OD, MSc from Nigeria

Armin Duddek, president of the World Optometry Foundation (WOF) said, “WOF is pleased to have provided these five deserving optometry students with the first ever WOF Student Travel Fellowships to attend the 3rd World Congress of Optometry and Academy 2019 Orlando to improve their knowledge concerning global optometry and to provide these students the opportunity to make meaningful connections with others in the optometric field at the joint meeting.”