(PRESS RELEASE) RANCHO CORDOVA, CA — VSP Vision, in partnership with the Heart of America Eye Care Congress, announced Mora Boatman, third-year optometry student at The Ohio State University, as the recipient of the 2025 Dr. Frank D. Fontana Memorial Scholarship. Boatman received $5,000 toward her education and travel to attend the Heart of America Eye Care Conference in February.
Mora Boatman
“As a future optometrist, all of my endeavors must be seen through the lens that each patient is a person who has inherent dignity and value that cannot be taken away from them based on their circumstances,” said Mora Boatman in her winning essay. “Dr. Fontana has set an example of the best optometry has to offer, and I am honored to continue this legacy throughout my career.”
The scholarship is named in honor of the Dr. Frank D. Fontana, affectionately known as “Uncle Frank,” who practiced optometry for nearly 70 years and was a colleague, mentor, and friend to many throughout the eye care industry.
Third and fourth-year optometry students who are actively engaged in patient care and live in Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska, or Missouri, or attend either University of Missouri-St. Louis or Northeastern State University Oklahoma, College of Optometry are eligible to apply.
Recipients of the Fontana Memorial Scholarship are selected for demonstrating excellence in the four areas Dr. Fontana was known for: clinical performance, empathetic patient care, adoption of modern technologies, and active participation in the optometric community.
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“We congratulate Mora on earning this great recognition,” said VSP Vision Chief Provider and Industry Solutions Officer Michelle Skinner. “She embodies Uncle Frank’s commitment to empathetic patient care and we have no doubt she will help carry his legacy forward as she embarks on her optometry career.”
Within the last 10 years, VSP Vision has provided more than $4 million in scholarship support to optometry students.
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