ORLANDO, Fla.—This week, the American Academy of Optometry Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting optometric education, announced the 2017 Johnson & Johnson Vision Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care program recipients.

This award recognizes outstanding fourth-year student clinicians who have demonstrated excellent overall knowledge of the contact lens field and professional care of contact lens patients during their optometric education. Each of the 23 winners will receive a $500 educational award and a personalized plaque commemorating their accomplishment.

A full list of the 2016 award recipients and their institutions are below.


Jamie Blavat; Illinois College of Optometry

Hailey Shaffer Williams; Indiana University at Bloomington School of Optometry

Jessica Tu; Inter-American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry

Michael Belhumeur; Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Optometry

Austin Schipper; Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University

Elizabeth Ledezma; Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry

Avani Dave; New England College of Optometry

Jessica White; Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry

Laura Jankiprasad; Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry

Ashley N. Dues; The Ohio State University College of Optometry

Paige Stephens; Pacific University College of Optometry

Patrick O'Connor McManamon; Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

Justine Gonzalez; Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University

Rebecca Goad; Southern College of Optometry

Azinda Morrow; State University of New York College of Optometry

Kate Oliver; University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry

Andrew Vo; University of California Berkeley School of Optometry

Allison Quirin; University of Houston College of Optometry

Kelsey Haugen; University of Missouri St. Louis College of Optometry

Laurianne Trudeau; University of Montreal School of Optometry

Tam Nguyen; University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry

Jonathan Ngoc Dinh; University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science

Lilia Babakhan; Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry