J. Pat Cummings Scholarship

History and Purpose

This award is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision and bestowed annually to a second or third year optometry student at each of the North American Schools and colleges of optometry.

Purpose

To award $1,000 to a student who best demonstrates the ideal eye care standards of practice, achievement in both academic performance and extra-curricular activities, and participation with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities.

Eligibility and Application

The submission window opens July 15, 2021 and closes September 15, 2021.

The student must be a member of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). To learn more and become a member visit: Student Membership

Nomination Procedures

The J. Pat Cummings Nomination Form and a copy of the appropriate IRS tax form are provided directly to institution contacts via email prior to the opening of the submission window.

The appropriate award selection committee at each of the schools/colleges of optometry will select the one student who meets the eligibility requirements and best demonstrates the qualities detailed in the above criteria. The AAOF will not accept applications directly submitted by a student. Interested students should relay their desire for consideration to the award chair or financial aid representative at their institution.

Completed forms should be sent via email to: AAOAwards@aaoptom.org with the subject line: "Cummings Scholarship-Institution name".

Notification and Conferment

Each college or university will contact its award winner and an announcement will go out on the AAOF recent news feed. The AAOF will send the award directly to the school or college to be applied toward the student's financial aid.

A W-9 form (within the U.S.) or W-8BEN form (non-U.S. resident) must be submitted or be confirmed on file prior to award processing.

Awards are shipped 4 - 6 weeks post deadline.

Award Notes

Please note : Guidelines for any given program are subject to change by the AAOF and/or the award sponsor. Applicants are reminded to please review all information before submitting their materials to ensure it meets all criteria.

All award recipients by application/nomination and acceptance of an award agree to allow the AAOF and/or the sponsor of the program to which they applied to publish their name, image, institution information, and any statement or quote provided by the recipient. These will appear in a variety of media formats that will announce and promote the program including, but not limited to, the AAOF and/or sponsor annual report, website, annual meeting promotional materials or press release.

For further information contact:

Jennifer Rubin
Grants and Awards Manager
2909 Fairgreen Street
Orlando, FL 32803, USA
Phone: 321-319-4872
AAOAwards@aaoptom.org

Past Recipients

ORLANDO, FL (October 20, 2020) – The American Academy of Optometry Foundation, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Vision, is pleased to announce the 2020 J. Pat Cummings Scholarship recipients. This award is bestowed annually to a second or third year optometry student who best demonstrates the ideal eye care standards of practice, achievement in both academic performance and extra-curricular activities, and participation with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities.

The 2020 J. Pat Cummings Scholarship Recipients are:

Brian Helmetag	Chicago College of Optometry at Midwestern University
Alexander Wong	Illinois College of Optometry
Emily Ertel	Indiana University School of Optometry
Binu Koruthu	Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry
Vincent Thoren	Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University School of Optometry
James Carpenter	Michigan College of Optometry
Eric Van Meter	Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry
Iva Hoxha	New England College of Optometry
Heather Polson	Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
Brianna Marie Herring	Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
Kathleen Thomas	Pacific University College of Optometry
Dustin Weidert	Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
Sarah D'Amore	Rosenberg School of Optometry
Rebecca Phung	Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
Sonali Das	Southern College of Optometry
Julie Song	State University of New York College of Optometry
Abby Almomar	The Ohio State University College of Optometry
Sanjana Sravani Vitta	University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry
Madison Sachs	University of California Berkeley School of Optometry
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan	University of Houston College of Optometry
Samuel Killion	University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry
Marilou Paquet	University of Montreal School of Optometry
Cassie Napier	University of Pikeville Kentucky School of Optometry
Cedrick Mah	University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science
Crystal Sin	Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry

The AAOF is thankful for the professional relationship between the Foundation and Johnson & Johnson Vision. Their exceptional support for this program continues to uphold the high caliber of optometric resident education.