Latest News SUNY Optometry Awards Scholarships to 40 Students at Annual Presentation By Staff Tuesday, November 12, 2019 12:15 AM Leslie and Dennis Gehr's scholarship recipient is Preya Balroop Class of 2023. NEW YORK—As part of their 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 last week. Scholarships, which were provided by the Optometric Center of New York—the College’s related foundation—and its donors, ranged from $1,000 - $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 ten years, SUNY Optometry has held this event, benefiting 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 Dawn Rigney, vice president of institutionalClearVision's Peter Friedfeld and Sam Friedfeld were among the family presenting the Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship to Calvin Chan, Class of 2022. advancement. 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 ScholarshipConstadina Manettas Class of 2020Philip & Sylvia Soden Memorial ScholarshipRebecca Heaps Class of 2020Dr. Mark S. Feder Scholarship for Clinical Excellence in Primary CareHalima Khan Class of 2020New York State Optometric Association Dr. Alden Haffner ScholarshipCarey Murzynski Class of 2021Angela Wen Class of 2021New Jersey Academy of Optometry ScholarshipVeena Bokka Class of 2023Dr. Sanford and Claire Levy ScholarshipElaine Doxtaer Class of 2023Ivanna Grynyk Class of 2021Prissilla Issa Class of 2020Alicia Jones Class of 2020Nichole Pollard Class of 2020Dr. Harold Solan Memorial ScholarshipRaymond Farmer Class of 2021Jeff White Memorial ScholarshipMelissa Levine Class of 2021Harold M. Spielman ScholarshipEden Nourmand Class of 2023Scott Tasker Folsom ScholarshipAnthony Boyd Class of 2021Shuyi Chen Class of 2021Holly Knoechel Class of 2021Dennis and Lesley Gehr ScholarshipPreya Balroop Class of 2023Alumni Association ScholarshipsNatalie Duider Class of 2023Nazia Tahia Class of 2023Nina Shimunov Class of 2023P. Gregory Hess ScholarshipSam Lee Class of 2020Dr. Jerome Weiss ScholarshipPeiwei Lo Class of 2022Dr. Nathan and Laura Millman ScholarshipJared Rahn Class of 2022Stephanie Schwartz Class of 2022Aviela Segev Class of 2022Stephanie Yu Class of 2022Julie Song Class of 2022Barbara Saltzman ScholarshipGabrielah Baruch Class of 2023Fred Friedfeld Memorial ScholarshipCalvin Chan Class of 2022Milton ScholarshipStefanie Clendaniel Class of 2020Amanda Crane Class of 2020Brooke Goonetilleke Class of 2022Holly Knoechel Class of 2021Melody Kordnaij Class of 2022Rhea Magee Class of 2021Max Paschall-Zimbel Class of 2020Joseph A. Morra, MD Memorial AwardMackenzie Chapman Class of 2023Caroline Donato Class of 2023Jacob Rosenberg Class of 2023To learn more about the Scholarship Awards or to establish a SUNY Optometry scholarship, contact Dawn Rigney, vice president of institutional advancement at drigney@sunyopt.edu.
