Nominations Open For The OWA Leadership Scholarship Award

The OWA offers at least two Leadership Scholarships every year to OWA members. These scholarships are to be used for the professional and personal development of each recipient and are funded through the Individual Contributor Program donations. The purpose of the Leadership Scholarship is to provide a professional mentoring opportunity, reward those who have volunteered their time and efforts to help the OWA reach its goals, and to promote the founding principles of the organization: to connect, inspire, and lead future leaders.

Nominations for the 2022 scholarships will be accepted through Monday, October 31, 2022. You can nominate a colleague or yourself to be considered to receive a Leadership Scholarship. Please note the following information / criteria:

Purpose of the Optical Women’s Association Leadership Scholarship

1. To encourage members to get more involved in the OWA

2. To reward those who have volunteered their time and efforts to help the OWA reach its goals

3. To provide a mentoring experience

4. To promote the goals of the OWA — Connect, Inspire, Lead — by mentoring future leaders

Criteria for Nomination

1. Nominee must be a member of the OWA by the time of nomination.

2. Nominee should have served or be actively serving on an OWA Committee.

3. Nominee must be nominated by a current OWA member.

Selection Process

1. The OWA’s Connections & Enrichment Committee will collect the nominations.

2. OWA’s Executive Committee will make the final selection of two award recipients.

3. Each Platinum Sponsor company is allowed to choose their own (one) award recipient.

Award Details

1. Each recipient will receive up to $2,000 to be used towards a program of their choosing, subject to approval by the scholarship subcommittee.

2. The scholarship money can be used towards expenses related to the program including registration fee and travel expenses.

3. Scholarship recipients selected by the OWA must be employed in the eyecare industry at the time they participate in their program.

4. Scholarship recipients selected by a Platinum Sponsor must be employed by the Platinum Sponsor company at the time they participate in their program.

Award Recipient Requirements

1. Recipient will select her program and complete it by the end of 2023.

2. Each winner will share her experience by means of one OWA communication, such as One-Minute Inspiration, blog article, or the OWA Talks podcast.

Award recipients will be announced in November –  nominate by Monday, October 31, 2022.