Academy Student Travel Fellowships
In order to promote its research goals and support young researchers, the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) provide student travel fellowships (STF). These are designed to encourage optometry students to attend key national meetings and exchange scientific ideas and research.
Each year a limited number of $750 travel fellowships are awarded to students wishing to attend the Academy’s annual meeting. Students are selected primarily for accomplishment and potential in optometric research and education. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. To be eligible, applicants MUST be a student member of AAO and have an abstract accepted for Academy 2022 San Diego.
It is the standard policy of the Academy that recipients who receive a travel stipend to attend an event cannot receive a second or duplicate travel stipend for the same event from the Academy or its affiliate, the Foundation.
While students do not apply for a specific Academy student travel fellowships, reviewers place the most weight on the primary criteria specified for each fellowship when evaluating applications.
Application Requirements
- Submission of a one-page statement which includes:
- Details of commitment and interest in optometric research and/or education
- Short- and long-term career goals
- Previous research training talks, papers, posters, and plans for a career in research and/or education
- Demonstration of current and potential self-motivation, independence, and leadership
- Summary of academic training, including honors
- Copy of the abstract of the paper or poster that has been accepted
- Recommendation letter from faculty to be submitted by August 2, 2022
The submission window opens July 1, 2022, and closes on July 29, 2022.
An email will be sent to the faculty recommender once the applicant submits their application to the Academy. The recommender’s letter must be uploaded to LINK.
Student Travel Fellowship applications are evaluated by the Academy’s Research Committee, Scientific Program Committee, and Membership Committee. Applicants will be notified of the committees’ decision prior to the meeting the applicant wishes to attend.
STFs are awarded based on availability. Although students may apply to attend a meeting for which they have previously been awarded a travel fellowship, priority may be given to first-time awardees. However, previous winners are encouraged to apply for an STF to a meeting they have not attended (either AAO or ARVO).
To receive their STF check, winners MUST attend the Academy’s annual meeting plus the Student/Resident Awards Lunch on Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 12 PM – 1 PM. American Academy of Optometry Foundation STFs will be awarded at the Celebration Luncheon on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
Student Fellowship Travel Opportunities
These travel grants are intended to increase American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) student membership and participation; create a climate of giving back to the profession: and promote involvement in American Academy of Optometry (AAO) chapters at North-American schools and colleges of optometry by attending the Academy’s annual meeting.
Note: All award recipients by application/nomination and acceptance of an award agree to allow the AAOF and/or the sponsor of the award to which they applied to publish their name, image, institution information, and any statement or quote provided by the recipient. These may appear in a variety of media formats that will announce and promote the program including, but not limited to, the AAOF/AAO and/or sponsor annual report, website, social media, annual meeting promotional materials or press release.
AAO Student Travel Fellowship
Awarded to candidates primarily for accomplishment or potential in optometric or vision research. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. One letter of recommendation is required. Applicants must have had an abstract accepted as a first presenter/author of a scientific paper or poster.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Student Giving Matching Travel Grants
Students are challenged to raise $750 through fundraising initiatives and/or gifts from fellow students. The AAOF will then match that amount, so the AAO student chapter is able to award two travel fellowships for the Academy’s next annual meeting.
Students should work in consultation with their institution’s AAO student chapter liaison. Students cannot petition or ask the institution, faculty or industry to provide the funds.
Along with the School/College Awards Committee and/or faculty adviser, the student chapter will determine which two students are awarded travel fellowships. Regardless of the individual amount donated, recipients must be selected by a fair process open to all qualified chapter members.
The submission window opens January 3, 2022, and closes June 30, 2022.
Guidelines
- Finalists must be student members of AAO
- Institutions and industry are prohibited from contributing
- Students should donate only what they personally can afford
Implementation
Create a plan and set goals to have each member of the chapter participate. Fundraising ideas include:
- Issue a challenge to students via social media and/or email
- Have a class-to-class challenge
- Bake or food sales
- Car washes
- Selling eyeglass lapel pins
- Raffling an opportunity to have a lunch with the institution’s leader
- Candy-gram sales
Next Steps
Student chapters will collect the funds and write one $750 check to the American Academy of Optometry Foundation. Mail to: AAOF/Attention: Jennifer Rubin, 622 E. Washington Street, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32801.
Additionally, a completed SGM Form 2022 should be sent via email to AAOAwards@aaoptom.org with the subject line: Student Giving + Institution Name.
The Foundation will contact the award winners and provide information about AAOF events to be held during Academy. Checks will be presented to awardees during the annual meeting or shortly thereafter.
OR
To receive their award checks, winners MUST attend the Academy’s annual meeting plus the Student/Resident Awards Lunch on Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 12 PM – 1 PM. American Academy of Optometry Foundation checks will be awarded at the Celebration Luncheon on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Travel checks will be made out directly to the student. A W-9 form (or W-8BEN form if recipient is a non-U.S. resident) must be submitted or on file at the AAO office prior to release of any travel funds.
Arizona Chapter Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be an optometry student at Midwestern University, Arizona College of Optometry and have been selected to present a paper or poster at the upcoming Academy meeting. One letter of recommendation and a one-page statement are required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Bence Family Leadership Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be a third- or fourth-year optometry student at an ACOE-accredited optometry school and a current member of the Academy. Candidates must submit a 500-word essay describing any leadership experience they have acquired to date and outline how they plan to use this experience in future leadership roles in the profession and in their practice and community. Two letters of recommendation are required from Fellows in good standing with at least one being a faculty member at their school. The awardee is funded to attend the Principles of Effective Leadership I course during the annual meeting. Attendance is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Beta Sigma Kappa (BSK) Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be currently in their second, third or fourth year of optometry school. Applicants must be a current member of BSK and submit an essay that is between 300 and 500 words. Selection as a presenter of a scientific paper or poster is desired but not required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Brazelton Low Vision Student Travel Fellowship
Awarded to a student primarily for accomplishment or potential in optometric Low Vision research. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. One letter of recommendation is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Brett G. Bence Clinical Student Travel Fellowship
Eligible candidates include third- or fourth-year optometry students or residents from the University of Houston College of Optometry. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. Must be a student or resident member of the Academy and the first presenter of an accepted scientific paper or poster. A letter of recommendation is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Edward I. Goodlaw Travel Fellowship
Awarded to an optometry student or resident for their work in the field of Low Vision. If an appropriate application is not received in Low Vision in a particular year, an optometry student or resident in the field of Contact Lenses will be considered. One letter of recommendation is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Elmer H. Eger Memorial Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be a third- or fourth-year student whose professional goal is to be in private practice. A one-page statement about why the candidate is pursuing a career in private practice is required. Only selected schools in the current year rotation may apply. No abstract required.
Submission window July 1- July 29, 2022
No individual applications (school selected)
Frank W. Weymouth Student Travel Fellowship
Eligible candidates include optometry, vision science students, and graduate students. Two STFs are awarded primarily for accomplishments or potential in optometric or vision research. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. One letter of recommendation is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Irvin M. Borish Student Travel Fellowship
Eligible candidates include students, residents, and graduate students. Two STFs are awarded primarily for accomplishment or potential in optometric or vision research. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. Applicants must have had an abstract accepted as a first presenter/author of a scientific paper or poster. One letter of recommendation is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Kirschen Family Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be a third- or fourth-year student whose professional goal is pursuing a career in private practice. Applicants must be a current member of AAO. Candidates must submit a one-page statement. Selection as a presenter of a scientific paper or a poster is desired but not required. One letter of recommendation is required.
Application Window July 1- July 29, 2022
Lois Schoenbrun Student Travel Fellowship
Candidates must be a third- or fourth-year student or resident with plans to pursue a career in private practice and also be a member of the Academy. Requirements are one letter of recommendation from a faculty member; a one-page, 500-word explanation about why they have chosen private practice; and a description of any acquired experiences enabling them to contribute to a future leadership role in the profession. The awardee is required to attend the Principles of Effective Leadership I course at the Academy’s annual meeting the year the award is received. The registration fee for the course is included in the travel fellowship.
Submission window July 1- July 29, 2022
Luxottica Student Travel Fellowship
Open to third- and fourth-year students at an accredited school or college of optometry in North America. Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be a member of the Academy. Presentation of a paper or poster at the Academy annual meeting is desired but not required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Michael G. Harris Student Travel Fellowship
Awarded to the current President of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) in recognition of their outstanding promise to the profession of optometry as evidenced by their leadership. The grant will be presented by the AAO for expenses related to attendance at the Academy’s annual meeting.
Submission window: N/A
N. Rex Ghormley Student Travel Fellowship
The fellowship will be awarded to an optometry student for accomplishment and potential in optometric research and education. Academic abilities, including clinical abilities if relevant, are considered. Selection as a presenter of a scientific paper or a poster is required. One letter of recommendation also is required.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
NJAO Chapter Student Travel Fellowship Grant
Must be a student or resident with an accepted abstract in the Academy Scientific Program. Must be available to present this paper or poster at the NJAO chapter meeting. Preference is given to permanent residents of the state of New Jersey.
Submission window: July 1- July 29, 2022
Recognition Awards
Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics
An award of $750 will be presented to the primary author for travel to the Academy’s annual meeting. If other authors were also pursuing the Doctor of Optometry degree while conducting the research, multiple awardees may divide a total travel award of $1,500.
Submission Window: April 1, 2022
Nominations should be emailed to Helen Viksnins at HelenV@aaoptom.org
Scholarships
The following scholarships and travel grants are made possible by the generous funding of the listed sponsor. Recipients are selected by their college or university.
Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care
Sponsored by an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson Vision each year, this $500 award is given to recognize outstanding fourth-year student clinicians who have demonstrated excellence in contact lens patient care during their optometric education. There is one award per year for each school/college of optometry.
Application window: February 1 – April 1, 2022
J. Pat Cummings Scholarship
Recognizes students who best demonstrate the ideal eye care standards of practice, achievement in both academic performance and extracurricular activities, and participate with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities.
Application window: July 15 – September 15, 2022
VSP and AAOF Canadian Practice Excellence Scholarships
VSP Global ® has joined forces with the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) to provide scholarships to optometry students at two schools of optometry in Canada. Each scholarship carries $2,000 in scholarship money and a $750 travel grant to attend the Academy meeting.
Application window: July 15 – August 15, 2022
VSP and AAOF Practice Excellence Scholarship
VSP Global® has partnered with the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) to provide scholarships for optometry students at every school and college of optometry in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The scholarships are funded through the VSP Global Eyes of Hope® Global Charitable Fund and administered by the AAOF. Each scholarship carries $3,250 in scholarship money and a $750 travel grant to attend the Academy’s annual meeting.
Application window: July 15 – August 15, 2022
| Award | Sponsor | Amount | Submission Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care | Johnson & Johnson Vision | $500 educational grant | February 2, 2022, through April 1, 2022 |
| J. Pat Cummings Scholarship | July 15, 2022, through September 15, 2022 | ||
| VSP and AAOF Canadian Practice Excellence Scholarships | VSP Global/Eyes of Hope Global Charitable Fund | $2,000 scholarship plus $750 travel grant | July 15, 2022, through August 15, 2022 |
| VSP and AAOF Practice Excellence Scholarship | VSP Global/Eyes of Hope Global Charitable Fund | $3,250 scholarship plus $750 travel grant | July 15, 2022, through August 15, 2022 |
