2006 Acuvue Eye Health Advisor
Student Citizenship Award
Dean Kevin Alexander & Brent
Beldyga (4th year student)
Academic Recognition Award
Sponsored by the Michigan College of Optometry
Awarded to the graduate with the highest honor point
average in the
graduating class
Award:
Cash stipend
Recipient: Lynette Blostica
Hometown: Mattawan
Beta Sigma Kappa Silver Medal Award
Sponsored by Beta Sigma Kappa National Honor Society
Awarded to the graduate with the highest honor point
average in the
graduating class
Award:
Silver Medal
Recipient: Lynette Blostica
Hometown: Mattawan
Alcon 4th Year Optometry Student Scholarship
Sponsored by Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
Awarded to the graduate who, in the opinion of the
Scholarship and
Awards Committee, has submitted the best case
report paper on the use
of any Alcon product.
Cash stipend and entrance into the national
competition for $5,000.
Recipient: Lisa Daws
Hometown: Remus
Vistakon Award for Excellence in Contact Lens
Patient Care
Sponsored by Vistakon
Awarded to the graduate who demonstrated
excellence in contact lens
applications
Award:
Cash stipend and engraved plaque
Recipient: Ashley Muhlada
Hometown: New Baltimore
Essilor/Varilux Optometry Student Grant
Program
Sponsored by Essilor of America, Inc.
Awarded to the graduate who submits the most
deserving case report
on the fitting of patients with Varilux lenses.
Award:
Cash stipend and engraved plaque
Recipient: Lynette Blostica
Hometown: Mattawan
COVD Award for Excellence in Vision Therapy
Sponsored by COVD
Awarded to the graduate who has demonstrated
a strong interest and
clinical skills in the area of vision
therapy.
Award:
Engraved plaque
Recipient: Fred Kapteyn
Hometown: Grand Rapids
Daniel Peterson Memorial Award
Presented by Optometry Student Government
Awarded to the graduate who demonstrates
outstanding professional and
ethical standards and has provided
exceptional service to the college,
university, and profession.
Award:
Engraved plaque
Recipient: Johnny Leung
Hometown: Rochester Hills
Marchon Eyewear Practice Management
Award
Sponsored by Marchon Eyewear
Awarded to the graduate who has
demonstrated exceptional interest in the
principles of practice management
Award:
Cash stipend and engraved
plaque
Recipient: Mike Pack
Hometown: Canton
George N. Holcomb Memorial Scholarship
Presented by the Scholarship and Awards
Committee
Awarded to the graduate who intends to
pursue further education in
preparation for a career in optometric
education and/or research.
Award:
Cash stipend
Recipient: Amy Dinardo & Ashley
Muhlada
Hometown: Big Rapids & New
Baltimore
Hoya Vision Care Grant &
Scholarship
Presented by the Scholarship and
Awards Committee
Awarded to a third or fourth year
student who submits a case report on
patient fitted with HOYA products.
Award:
Cash stipend
Recipients: Raul Auza & Michael
Tommolino
Hometowns: Sucre, Bolivia &
Dearborn
Clinical Optometric Science Research
Award
Presented by the Scholarship and
Awards Committee
Awarded to the graduate who submits
the most deserving paper on
clinical optometric science.
Award:
Cash stipend from the Michigan
College of Optometry
Recipients: Amy Dinardo
Hometowns: Big Rapids
Primary Care Research Award
Presented by the Scholarship and
Awards Committee
Awarded to the graduate who
submits the most deserving paper
devoted to primary care.
Award:
Cash stipend from the Michigan
College of Optometry
Recipients: Michael Pack
Hometowns: Canton
Original Investigative Work
Research Award
Presented by the Scholarship
and Awards Committee
Awarded to the graduate who
submits the most deserving paper on
an original investigative work.
Award:
Cash stipend from the
Michigan College of
Optometry
Recipients: Steve Barclay &
Johnny Leung
Home towns: Stevensville &
Rochester Hills
Vision Therapy/Binocular Vision
Research Award
Presented by the Scholarship
and Awards Committee
Awarded to the graduate who
submits the most deserving paper
on vision therapy and
binocular vision.
Award:
Cash stipend from the
Michigan College of
Optometry
Recipients: Kelly Kobus &
Lindsey Stull
Hometowns: Madison Heights
& Schoolcraft
RGP Lens Institute Clinical
Excellence Award
Sponsored by the RGP Lens
Institute
Awarded to the graduate
student who demonstrated special
interest in the use of RGP
lenses
Award:
RGP Lens Set and engraved
plaque
Recipient: Amy Dinardo
Hometown: Big Rapids
William Feinbloom Low Vision
Award
Sponsored by Designs for
Vision, Inc.
Awarded to the graduate
who has demonstrated special
abilities in
low vision patient care
Award:
Low Vision Trial Lens
Set and engraved
plaque
Recipient: Nicolette
Zawilinski
Hometown: Cass City
David J. Kerko Low Vision
Award
Sponsored by the
Winchester Optical Company
Awarded to the
graduating student who has
demonstrated exceptional
proficiency in the area
of low vision
Award:
Low Vision Trial Lens
Set and engraved
plaque
Recipient: Lisa Daws
Hometown: Remus
Essilor Crizal DCRP
Award
Awarded to fourth
year student entering
private practice.
Award:
Digital Reflex
Pupilometer
Recipient: Johnny
Leung
Hometown: Rochester
Hills
AOA $1000 Student
Leadership Award
Administered by
the American Optometric
Association
Awarded to the
third year student who
has demonstrated
exceptional
leadership
abilities within the
college and university
Award:
Cash
stipend
Recipient: Brent
Beldyga
Hometown: Burt
American
Optometric
Foundation/Carl Zeiss
Vision Grant
Presented by
the Scholarship and
Awards Committee
Awarded to a
third-year student
who submits a
statement of career
goals and the
practice of
optometry.
Award:
Cash stipend
and travel fellowship
to attend the annual
AAO meeting.
Recipients:
Mike Tommolino
Hometowns:
Dearborn
VSP 2006
Scholarship
Program
Sponsored by
Vision Service Plan
Awarded to
the two third-year
students who have
demonstrated
exceptional
clinical
skills.
Award:
Cash
stipend to be
applied to the
expenses of the
fourth
year.
Recipients:
Mark Lantz &
Paula Richards
Hometowns:
Mason & Saginaw
AOSA-Vistakon
Travel Grant
Essay Contest
Award
Sponsored
by Vistakon and
Johnson &
Johnson
Awarded to
two students in
good standing
with the AOA,
the AOSA
and the college
who, in the
opinion of the
Scholarship
and Awards
Committee, are
deserving of the
grant based
on their
curriculum vitae.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipients:
Elizabeth Lane
& Michelle
Cardwell
Hometowns:
Freeland &
Plymouth
Dr. Jack W.
Bennett
Memorial
Scholarship
Established
by the family
of Dr. Bennett
and awarded to
the the third
year student
sho has
demonstrated
the greatest
potential for
following the
ethical
priciples and
high ideals of
prfessionalism.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Kim Dillivan
Hometown:
Three Rivers
Robert E.
Brand
Memorial
Scholarship
Awarded
to a first
year student
who has
demonstrated
significant
academic
achievement.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Meagan
Reardon
Hometown:
Reed City
Ciba
Vision -
Clinical
Excellence
Scholarship
Awarded
to a third
year
student
nominated
by the
Chief of
Contact
Lens.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
A.J. Smith
Hometown:
Hemlock
Frederick
W.
Kellogg
Scholarship
Established
by the
family of
Dr.
FrederickW.
Kellogg
Awarded
to the
third-year
with a
3.0 HPA
and
excellence
in
clinical
skills
Award:
Cash
stipend
Recipient:
Jamie
Harris
Hometown:
Vernon
Joseph
D.
Sasaki
Scholarship
Sponsored
by
Joseph
D.
Sasaki,
O.D.
Awarded
to the
third-year
in good
standing
who has
demonstrated
excellence
in
clinical
skills
Award:
Cash
stipend
Recipient:
Lesley
Sobeck
Hometown:
Rogers
City
Robert
VanHoven
Memorial
Scholarship
Established
by
the
family
of
Dr.
Robert
VanHoven
Awarded
to
the
third-year
student
who
has
demonstrated
an
exceptional
level
of
professionalism
and
adherence
to
high
ideals
and
ethical
standards.
Award:
Cash
stipend
Recipient:
Melanie
Denton
&
Mary
Phillips
Hometown:
Snover
&
St.
Clair
Shores
Paul
Borton
Endowment
Established
by
the
family
of
Dr.
Paul
Borton
Awarded
to
a
student
who
has
demonstrated
an
exceptional
level
of
professionalism
and
leadership
abilities.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Elizabeth
Lane
Hometown:
Freeland
Michigan
Optometric
Association
Student
of
the
Year
Award
Sponsored
by
the
Michigan
Optometric
Association.
Awarded
to
student
nominated
by
the
Scholarship
and
Awards
Committee.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
to
attend
MOA
Convention
Recipient:
Not
Awarded
Hometown:
Michigan
College
of
Optometry
Alumni
Endowment
Sponsored
by
the
Michigan
College
of
Optometry
Awarded
too
a
first-year
student
who
has
demonstrated
academic
achievement,
professionalism
and
leadership.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Sara
Bower
Hometown:
Coldwater
American
Foundation
for
Vision
Awareness
(AFVA-MOA)
Awarded
to
third
year
students
with
HPA
of
3.0
or
better,
a
Michigan
resident
and
with
an
intent
to
practice
in
Michigan
following
graduation.
Multiple
awards
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipients:
Mary
Phillips,
Tamara
Balentine,
Jamie
Harris
and
Leslie
Sobeck
Hometowns:
St.
Clair
Shores,
Flint,
Vernon
and
Rogers
City
American
Optometric
Association
Advantage
Scholarship
Awarded
to
a
second
year
student
who
has
demonstrated
academic
achievement.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipients:
Andrea
Fisher
&
Elysia
Talaski
Hometown:
Big
Rapids
&
Bad
Axe
American
Optometric
Association
Patrick
E.
Cummings
Memorial
Scholarship
Sponsored
by
the
AOA
Endowment
Fund
and
awarded
to
one
third
year
student
nationally.
The
nominated
student
must
submit
a
paper
on
a
specific
topic
and
their
resume.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipients:
None
Awarded
Hometown:
Eschenbach
Low
Vision
Student
Award
Awarded
to
a
fourth
year
student
who
have
shown
an
aptitude
and
interest
in
the
field
of
low
vision.
Award:
Certificate
and
Diagnostic
Kit
Recipient:
Lynette
Blostica
Hometown:
Mattawan
Midland
Lions
Roger
Maier
Scholarship
Awarded
each
year
to
a
third
or
fourth
year
optometry
student
with
preference
given
to
eligible
students
from
Midland
County
or
if
there
aren't
any
then
it
would
be
awarded
to
any
qualified
MCO
student.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Kelly
Fisher
Hometown:
Midland,
MI
Dr.
Merrill
Murray
Memorial
Endowment
Scholarship
Awarded
each
year
to
any
MCO
student
with
a
GPA
of
3.0
or
higher
and
who
has
demonstrated
the
personal
characteristics
necessary
to
be
an
outstanding
optometrist
including
professionalism,
leadership,
concern
for
others
and
dedication
to
quality
care
and
community.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Meagan
Reardon
Hometown:
Reed
City
Dr.
Henry
R.
Racki
Optometry
Scholarship
Awarded
each
year
to
any
full-time
MCO
student,
with
preference
given
to
students
from
Macomb
County,
MI,
and
have
a
demonstrated
interest
in
liberal
arts.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Chad
Maloney
Hometown:
Clinton
Township
VSP
Endowment
Small
diagnostic
equipment
items
atuomatically
awarded
to
all
first
year
students.
Vistakon
Acuview
Eye
Health
Advisor
Student
Citizenship
Scholarship
Awarded
to
second
or
third
year
optometry
student
based
on
academic
and
extra-curricular
achievements,
along
with
other
professional
pursuits
such
as
involvement
with
patients
through
internships,
community
service,
and
other
volunteer
activities.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
and
Plaque
Recipient:
Brent
Beldyga
Hometown:
Burt
Wal-Mart/Sam's
Scholarship
Awarded
to
second,
third
or
fourth
year
student
based
on
faculty
evaluations.
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipient:
Hometown:
Weeks-Lakin
Scholarship
This
award
was
established
in
memory
of
Lewis
E.
Weeks,
O.D.
It
is
awarded
to
an
incoming
first
year
student
with
a
GPA
of
3.2
or
higher
(may
have
multiple
recipients).
Award:
Cash
Stipend
Recipients:
Brianna
Gayda,
Sarah
Hebert,
Abby
Maus,
Lyndsey
Morse,
Rebecca
Motz,
Hometowns:
Chesterfield,
Iron
River,
Big
Rapids,
Lyons,
St.
Johns
