Through partnerships with the National Optometric Association , Black Eyecare Perspective and supportive Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO) alumni, the school has announced an expansion to its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship program. The school established a DEI Advisory Council in 2020 to cultivate a supportive and welcoming learning environment and recruit under-represented minority faculty with the support of Indiana University.
The scholarship expansion includes
• A full-tuition scholarship for an incoming African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino or Native American/Alaska Native student. First-generation college students will receive preferential consideration for this scholarship.
• Scholarship-Match Partnership with the National Optometric Association and Black Eyecare Perspective. For any matriculating students receiving scholarships/grants from these organizations, the program will match those funds up to the cost of tuition and fees.
• Admission Scholarships: Expansion of the current scholarship program, established in 2013-2014, to award up to $5,000/year in additional scholarships for incoming under-represented minority students.
• Alumni Support: Generous IUSO alumni have committed over $200,000 in endowed scholarships to further support minority students at IUSO for years to come.
The school’s statement announcing the expansion states, “Increasing the number of minority optometrists in the field means increasing the quality of individual patient care and overall community support. IUSO is committed to making Optometry a profession for everyone, and we will strive for this through collaboration with individual and organizational leaders in the field.”
Vitis the IUSO scholarships and awards webpage for more details. https://optometry.iu.edu/…/scholarships-awards.html…
