June 20, 2024 — The Vision Council (TVC) Foundation reported a record number of graduates this year who received scholarships established to support opticianry students from underserved communities. The Opening Your Eyes Scholarship Fund, launched in 2021 with donations from TVC members, supported 16 newly licensed opticians.

By providing funding for tuition and expenses to opticianry students at 17 partner institutions within the National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS), the program aims to diversify the industry by reducing financial and networking barriers to support aspiring opticians from an array of backgrounds.

"Because of certain health issues and being a single mom, working and going to school was difficult at times," says Raphaella Mompoint, a graduate from Broward College. "Thanks to…the Opening Your Eyes Scholarship, the burden of financing my school was something I didn’t have to worry about."

"These scholarships help students who may not be able to attend college because of the financial burden," says Thomas Neff, an opticianry instructor at Hillsborough Community College. "An opticianry degree opens many opportunities for graduates to succeed in various positions in the health care field."

GuerBea Lorissaint, another Broward College graduate, shared that her desire to become an optician stemmed from frequent childhood visits to the eye doctor. "Being able to see behind the scenes and how they go about procedures made me want to step into that industry and help others with their vision problems," says Lorissaint.

TVC Foundation continues to expand the program to include more NFOS institutions, reaching more potential applicants and their communities, and the organization shares it maintains strong relationships with current and former students in the program.

"We're so excited to welcome these professionals into the industry as new colleagues," says TVC CEO Ashley Mills. "Their diverse and unique perspectives will help push the optical community forward. They champion our shared goal of improving vision for everyone, and our organization could not be prouder of the potential they represent."

To support future opticians, TVC aims to raise more than $300,000 each academic year to provide more scholarships. For donations or questions, contact Bonnie Whitfield, director of member services, at bwhitfield@thevisioncouncil.org.