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Rising Visionary Award

The Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award is presented annually to an optometry student or resident, ophthalmology resident, primary health care, nursing, or other health professional student or resident in the United States who has the best essay based on the 2021 Focus on Eye Health National Summit theme: Our Changing Vision. This esteemed award consists of formal acknowledgement and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the Focus on Eye Health National Summit virtually on July 14 or 15th, 2021.  It further comes with an invitation to present this work as a speaker at the Summit.

2021 Rising Visionary Award

Prevent Blindness is pleased to announce the recipient of the second annual Rising Visionary Award” as Ms. Shervonne Poleon, Vision Science Graduate Program student, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Ms. Poleon’s essay, “Prioritizing Wellness in Eye Care,” outlined the need for “eye care facilitators,” whose focus would be the social and psychological wellness of patients, with the goal of improving visual outcomes by directly addressing socio-behavioral factors that limit care delivery and efficacy.

Shervonne Poleon

2020 Rising Visionary Award

Araba Otoo, a third-year optometry student at The Ohio State University, was selected as the first recipient of the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award. The award recognizes an optometry student or resident, ophthalmology resident, or other health care professional student or resident in the United States who has the best essay based on a question related to the 2020 Focus on Eye Health National Summit theme, “An Eye to the Future.” Otoo’s essay featured ideas on public education and awareness tactics to create the most impactful change to improve the future outlook of vision and eye health.

Araba Otoo

Application Criteria

An optometry student or resident, ophthalmology resident, primary health care, nursing, or other health professional student or resident in the United States who has the best essay based on a question related to the 2021 Focus on Eye Health National Summit theme: Our Changing Vision. If awarded, the awardee must be available to present virtually at the 2021 Focus on Eye Health National Summit on July 14th or 15th, 2021 to receive the award.

Submission:

QUESTION: What significant change can be made to improve equity in vision and eye health in the U.S.? Describe your reasoning.

1. What is the significant change? (100 words)
2. How will it improve equity in vision and eye health in the U.S.? (250 words)
3. Describe the systems or processes that will need to change to accomplish it. (150 words)

  • Curriculum Vitae and Personal Statement: Submit a Curriculum Vitae no more than 1 page containing baccalaureate and higher educational preparation, positions and employment, other experience and professional memberships, and honors. Please include a 200-word personal statement which describes the relevant academic, experiential and leadership training that prepared you for this essay. Download a sample Curriculum Vitae
  • Letters of Recommendation: Up to two recent letters of recommendation including how they know the applicant and for how long (two-page maximum for each letter)
  • Please note: Submissions not adhering to the above submission guidelines (page limits, word count, etc.) will not be reviewed.