(PRESS RELEASE) PINELLAS PARK, FL — To help support and empower the next generation of optometrists and opticians, Transitions, in partnership with its Optical Advancement Board, is now accepting applications for its Transitions Optical Advancement educational grant program until April 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Transitions, which is a part of the EssilorLuxottica group, will award five grants in the amount of $1,000 to applicants who are graduating high school seniors or recent graduates planning to attend opticianry school in the U.S. Additionally, two grants in the amount of $5,000 will be awarded to first-year through third-year optometry students attending an accredited U.S. school or college.
Grant Eligibility
All grant applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
“We are proud that our Transitions Optical Advancement grant program can help ease financial burden for students aspiring to join the optical industry and shape the future of compassionate, patient-centered care,” said Arlene Barringer, senior marketing manager, trade communications, Transitions.
The Transitions Optical Advancement grant funds can help defray costs associated with pursuing a career in the optical industry, such as exam fees, textbooks, and other educational materials related to curriculum and tuition reimbursement.
Grant recipients must also submit proof that all funds were used towards the cost of the educational materials or applied to paying down student tuition or covering exam fees.
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Applying for a Transitions Optical Advancement Grant
Applications for the Optical Advancement optometry and opticianry grants are available online. All applicants must complete and submit their application by the April 30, 2025, deadline. Requirements include:
- a one-page letter of recommendation from a teacher/professor
- a copy of an official high school or college transcript
- a maximum three-minute audio response to two questions on how applicants embody Transitions’ values of innovation, service and education, and why inclusivity matters to the future of the optical industry and the difference they aspire to make in helping to improve better patient outcomes for all
The Transitions Optical Advancement Board—comprised of a diverse group of practicing optometrists, ophthalmologists and opticians—will be the judging committee for all grants.
Winners of the Transitions Optical Advancement grants will be publicly announced in May 2025, and applicants are encouraged to follow Transitions on social media for any updates.
Winners will also have the chance to become a Transitions Change Agent—a part of the company’s exclusive Peer-to-Peer program—and could even gain an invitation* to Transitions Academy in Orlando, Fla. This annual event is one of the biggest in the industry, packed with networking, education and career-changing opportunities.
