(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK – As part of its commitment to helping students achieve their professional goals and meet the cost of financing their education, SUNY College of Optometry recognized more than 40 students at the annual Scholarship Presentation. Scholarships, which were provided by the Optometric Center of New York – the college’s related foundation – and its donors, ranged from $1,000 to $5,500 totaling nearly $125,000 for the evening.
The event, coordinated by the Office of Institutional Advancement, brings students, their families, and donors together for an evening of celebration and recognition of students’ accomplishments. For more than 10 years, SUNY Optometry has held this event, benefitting hundreds of students. In that time, the number of scholarships presented has grown significantly from 11 to 40.
“Investing in our students extends beyond educating and training future optometrists; we also feel a commitment to ensure educational opportunities are provided to bright students who may otherwise not be able to pursue their dream. Thanks to our benefactors, these scholarships ease the burden of financing a doctor of optometry degree, allowing these students to focus more on becoming future leaders in the field,” said Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Rigney.
According to Dr. Guiherme Albieri, vice president of student affairs at SUNY College of Optometry, “These scholarships also offer a competitive edge to attract more students from across the nation to SUNY Optometry, knowing that they will be able to fully engage in the innovative education and clinical experience that we offer.”
Below is a listing of the scholarships and recipients for the 2019-20 academic year:
- Mary and Samuel Gurkin Memorial Scholarship
Constadina Manettas Class of 2020 - Philip & Sylvia Soden Memorial Scholarship
Rebecca Heaps Class of 2020 - Dr. Mark S. Feder Scholarship for Clinical Excellence in Primary Care
Halima Khan Class of 2020 - New York State Optometric Association Dr. Alden Haffner Scholarship
Carey Murzynski Class of 2021
Angela Wen Class of 2021 - New Jersey Academy of Optometry Scholarship
Veena Bokka Class of 2023 - Dr. Sanford and Claire Levy Scholarship
Elaine Doxtaer Class of 2023
Ivanna Grynyk Class of 2021
Prissilla Issa Class of 2020
Alicia Jones Class of 2020
Nichole Pollard Class of 2020 - Dr. Harold Solan Memorial Scholarship
Raymond Farmer Class of 2021 - Jeff White Memorial Scholarship
Melissa Levine Class of 2021 - Harold M. Spielman Scholarship
Eden Nourmand Class of 2023 - Scott Tasker Folsom Scholarship
Anthony Boyd Class of 2021
Shuyi Chen Class of 2021
Holly Knoechel Class of 2021 - Dennis and Lesley Gehr Scholarship
Preya Balroop Class of 2023 - Alumni Association Scholarships
Natalie Duider Class of 2023
Nazia Tahia Class of 2023
Nina Shimunov Class of 2023 - P. Gregory Hess Scholarship
Sam Lee Class of 2020 - Dr. Jerome Weiss Scholarship
Peiwei Lo Class of 2022 - Dr. Nathan and Laura Millman Scholarship
Jared Rahn Class of 2022
Stephanie Schwartz Class of 2022
Aviela Segev Class of 2022
Stephanie Yu Class of 2022
Julie Song Class of 2022 - Barbara Saltzman Scholarship
Gabrielah Baruch Class of 2023 - Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship
Calvin Chan Class of 2022 - Milton Scholarship
Stefanie Clendaniel Class of 2020
Amanda Crane Class of 2020
Brooke Goonetilleke Class of 2022
Holly Knoechel Class of 2021
Melody Kordnaij Class of 2022
Rhea Magee Class of 2021
Max Paschall-Zimbel Class of 2020 - Joseph A. Morra, MD Memorial Award
Mackenzie Chapman Class of 2023
Caroline Donato Class of 2023
Jacob Rosenberg Class of 2023
To learn more about the Scholarship Awards or to establish a scholarship, contact Dawn Rigney, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at drigney@sunyopt.edu.