Skip to main content

Nine UMSL Students Receive Scholarship


Nine students at UMSL Optometry started the spring 2017 semester with a $2,500 scholarship from the Healthy Vision Association (HVA).  The HVA is an organization that is dedicated to helping its members see well and be healthy by providing access that might not be available through employers to products, services, and information that promote vision and overall health.
The scholarship was awarded to Kandace Alfred (’18), Jessica Arnoldy (’20), Shelby Baugh Bruner (’17), Kelly Cochran (’20), Yousef Ibrahim (’17), Cailyn Katsev (’17), Julia Katsev (’18), Trisha Smith (’20), and Lacie Spagnola (’20); each received a check for $2,500.
One of the scholarship recipients, Kelly Cochran (’20), shares her vision of optometry in ten years as part of the essay she was required to write for the scholarship. “I believe the scope of practice for optometrists will involve an evolution toward deepening our involvement in vision research, medicine, surgery, and cooperation with ophthalmologists and basic scientists who are also working toward treating our patients. We must understand that we are servants before we are businesspeople, yet our patients are also consumers,” Cochran commented.
The Healthy Vision Association (HVA) awards up to 20 scholarships each year to students who are attending an accredited optometry school. The scholarship is based on grade point average, extracurricular activities, and a required essay.  Congratulations to each of this year’s recipients of this year’s HVA scholarship. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heart of America: A Great Annual UMSL Tradition

The 56th Annual Contact Lens & Primary Care Congress presented by the Heart of America Contact Lens Society was, once again, a great success and represented a great opportunity for College of Optometry students and residents to network, present posters, receive high quality continuing education, and help as monitors and graduates to have the opportunity to see their classmates and enjoy, not only the expansive exhibit hall but also customize their education based upon the five tracks of courses given simultaneously.  The faculty included two UMSL graduates, Drs. Rebecca Wartman(‘87) and Shane Kannarr(‘00) and Assistant Dean, Dr. Ed Bennett.  Likewise, the Heart of America Board of Directors had a significant UMSL presence with Drs. Sean Mulqueeny(‘91), Wes DeRosier(‘96) and President Craig Brawley(‘01).  Dr. Delaram “Deli” Shirazian(’16), currently completing the Kansas City Veteran’s Administration Medical Center residency program, was a recipient of a $2,000 grant from
5 comments
Read more

Patient Care Center Grand Opening and Continuing Education Event a Success

The Patient Care Center has been open to the public since mid-September and recently celebrated the Grand Opening ceremony on Friday, November 4 and also a continuing education program on November 5, 2016. The Grand Opening ceremony included keynote speakers, Dean Larry Davis, Laurie Thompson (’16), Barbara Brown (’88), and Chancellor Thomas George.     The event attracted many present and former UMSL administrators, including former Chancellor Blanche Touhill. Several political leaders attended to celebrate the grand opening. Dr. Thompson and her husband, Chris, traveled from their home in Colorado, specifically for this occasion. Thompson was an instrumental student leader whose efforts were important in gaining student approval to fund the project.   Following the grand opening event on Saturday, the college hosted a five-hour specialty contact lens symposium with lectures on gas permeable and presbyopic lenses from UMSL faculty members, Ed Bennett, Julie DeKinder
4 comments
Read more

UMSL Hosts Receptions at the Missouri Optometric Association and the American Academy of Optometry

An important part of a successful organization is to maintain engagement with our alumni as well as provide the opportunity for students and alumni to connect at various events across the state.  The College of Optometry has been hosting receptions as Heart of America, Optometry’s Meeting, and most recently at the Annual Meeting of the Missouri Optometric Association (MOA) and the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). The recent MOA meeting was in Branson, Missouri. Dean Larry Davis addressed all of the attendees with an update on the newly opened UMSL Patient Care Center. During his address, he discussed the ongoing fundraising. In addition, Director of Student and Alumni Services Nick Palisch, along with a great team of student ambassadors staffed the UMSL booth to meet with attendees. The College of Optometry also hosted a reception in Anaheim, California in conjunction with the Annual meeting of the AAO.  The AAO reception held on November 11t
2 comments
Read more