National Vision 2020-2021 Grant Program Challenges Optometry Students to Share Post-Pandemic Projections for Healthcare Practices
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE) has launched its annual optometry student grant program for the 2020-2021 academic year, marking the sixth consecutive year of this initiative. The program invites third- and fourth-year optometry students to submit essays or videos discussing how COVID-19 changes may influence future optometry practices. A $5,000 first-place grant and two $1,000 runner-up grants are available. Entries are due by January 31, 2021, with winners announced before March 1, 2021.
- Initiation of the optometry student grant program for the sixth year demonstrates commitment to supporting future professionals in the field.
- The program offers substantial financial incentives, with a total of $7,000 in grants available for students.
- None.
DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE), one of the nation’s largest optical retailers providing quality, affordable eye care and eyewear, has opened its annual optometry student grant program for entries, marking the program’s sixth consecutive year.
The retailer’s 2020-2021 grant program challenges third- and fourth-year optometry students to share which changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic they believe will become a fixture in how optometrists practice and provide healthcare services. Entrants will have a chance to win a
“The current pandemic has turned our world on its head, and has profoundly impacted the way healthcare professionals interact with patients and manage practices,” Alex Louw, Chief Medical Officer, National Vision. “We’re all questioning which aspects of this ‘new normal’ may stick around for the long haul, so we’re eager to hear what the future leaders of our profession predict.”
Applicants are asked to address the prompt in the form of a 500-word written essay or a short video (no longer than five minutes). To enter, students must be in their third or fourth year of optometry school and in good standing with a school in the U.S, Puerto Rico or Canada. In either format, applicants are encouraged to provide their personal perspective on why certain measures being taken to slow the pandemic may become mainstays for optometrists, or alternatively, why they feel we’ll one day return completely to pre-pandemic procedures.
To explore the topic further, students may address questions such as:
- Do you believe the public’s expectations of healthcare practitioners, including optometrists, will shift as we emerge from the pandemic?
- How do you think opinions related to remote medicine have shifted in recent months? Are you, your peers and the public more or less accepting of the practice?
- Will mask regulations, increased sanitation standards or social distancing become the new normal in optometry practices and optical retail settings?
Additional information about the program and entry requirements is available on the Students section of the Optometry Careers page of the National Vision website, www.nationalvision.com.
All submissions and questions regarding the 2020-2021 grant program should be sent to Carly.Schenck@nationalvision.com by January 31, 2021. The winners, including two runner-up recipients, will be announced before March 1, 2021.
About National Vision Holdings, Inc.
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE) is one of the largest optical retail companies in the United States with over 1,100 stores in 44 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. With a mission of helping people by making quality eye care and eyewear more affordable and accessible, the company operates five retail brands: America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World, Vision Centers inside select Walmart stores, and Vista Opticals inside select Fred Meyer stores and on select military bases, and several e-commerce websites, offering a variety of products and services for customers’ eye care needs. For more information, please visit www.nationalvision.com.
