Aug. 31, 2021 — Three-time Grammy winner and modern soul star Maxwell recently honored three recipients of the Opening Your Eyes: The Vision Council Scholarship Fund at the Times Square Edition hotel. 

At the event (co-hosted by State Optical Co.) on Aug. 25, Maxwell, on behalf of The Vision Council, presented Jaedon-King Fletcher, Diya Folia, and Melissa Bottex with their scholarships. The four additional scholarship recipients, who were selected in July 2021, are Genesis Opokularbi, Aaron Nyambe, JonChris Valerio, and Anastacia Paul. 

_{From left to right. Front: Tarrence Lackran (VP, community relations – diversity & inclusion at Luxury Optical Holdings), Diya Folia (student), Melissa Bottex (student), Selima Salaun (founder/creative director at Selima Optique), Jeff Press (chiief creative at Luxury Optical Holdings), Nicolas Roseillier (dreative rirector at State Optical Co.) Back: Timothy Mayhew (CEO at Luxury Optical Holdings), Maxwell, Jaedon King-Fletcher (student) 
Photo credit: Toni Dubois}

“These students are amazing,” says Maxwell. “I was so proud to have a small part in paying it forward to the next generation of strivers. To see their passion and drive to succeed was inspiring.”

The event serves as a continuation of Maxwell and State Optical Co.’s support of Opening Your Eyes: The Vision Council Scholarship Fund. 

Earlier this year, State launched the State x Maxwell collaboration with a limited-edition sunglass style, Reunion, designed in partnership with Maxwell to reflect the artist’s modern soul sound and trailblazing nature. A portion of the proceeds from the style will be donated to Opening Your Eyes: The Vision Council Scholarship Fund. 

Opening Your Eyes: The Vision Council Scholarship Fund is a new program of the Better Vision Institute, the related educational foundation of The Vision Council, and is designed to support high school students in marginalized communities throughout the U.S. who have an interest in pursuing a career in the optical industry. The program will support these selected students through monetary scholarships to opticianry school, paid internships, and mentorships. The program was launched to inspire the effort that can expand to other segments of the industry.

The Vision Council will continue its celebration of the scholarship recipients at Vision Expo West, scheduled for Sept. 22-25 in Las Vegas. On Thursday, Sept. 23 from 2:15-2:45 p.m., the scholarship recipients will be introduced to the industry during a special EYE2EYE panel moderated by Tarrence Lackran, VP of community relations—divinity and inclusion, at Luxury Optical Holdings. 

Supporters of Opening Your Eyes: The Vision Council Scholarship Fund include: CooperVision, De Rigo REM, Europa Eyewear, Eschenbach Optik, EssilorLuxottica, Jobson, Luxury Optical Holdings, Modo Eyewear, MyEyeDr., National Vision, Inc., Opticians Association of America, RX, and The Vision Council.

For more information on the scholarship program, click here.