The AOA Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship Recipients

St. Louis, Missouri – April 2, 2025 – The AOA Foundation is pleased to share the 2025 scholarships recipients for the Dr. Larry J. Alexander Scholarship for Education, Dr. Seymour Galina Scholarship and Dr. Stanley Pearle Scholarship. This year’s recipients include:

Malia McDowell – Dr. Larry J. Alexander Scholarship for Education

Joel Cardenas – Dr. Seymour Galina Scholarship

Elizabeth Pham – Dr. Stanley Pearle Scholarship

Faye Nie – Dr. Stanley Pearle Scholarship

2025 Scholarships presented by The AOA Foundation

The Dr. Larry J. Alexander Scholarship for Education, supported by Optovue, honors Dr. Alexander’s dedication to mentoring and leading the profession. As an ode to Dr. Alexander’s passion for helping others, the scholarship application calls for third-year students to describe a moment they served their community and how they plan to contribute to those in need following graduation.

Maila McDowell is a third-year student at University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. In her application, she wrote “As healthcare professionals, we not only care for a patient's eyes but also advocate for them. Many patients are unaware of the resources available to them because they do not have access to the internet and they don’t know where to look. It is our job as health care professionals to be well educated on what the community has to offer to address overall care and health disparities. My professional optometry practice will have the mission to never turn down a patient.”  

One of the earliest endowed gifts to The AOA Foundation, the Dr. Seymour Galina Scholarship was established through a bequest from long-time AOA member, Dr. Galina. The Foundation manages the endowment by investing the original gift and then using the earnings to fund the Dr. Seymour Galina Scholarship in perpetuity. The scholarship application requires that third-year students identify qualities they developed through either financial planning or work experience that will be useful following graduation.

Joel Cardenas is a third-year student at Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry. In his application, he wrote “I recognized that managing an optometric practice requires not only clinical expertise but also the ability to make sound financial decisions to ensure accessibility for patients. This practical experience in financial management has equipped me with valuable insights into the operational aspects of healthcare, preparing me to navigate budgeting, billing, and insurance processing effectively in my future practice.” 

The Dr. Stanely Pearle Scholarship, supported by Pearle Vision, awards one third-year and one fourth-year student. The application includes a social media plan based on the Pearle Vision motto which is “Nobody cares for eyes more than Pearle.”

Elizabeth Pham is a third-year student at University of Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry. In her social media plan, Optometry: More Than Meets The Eye, she wrote “as healthcare providers, everything we do is with the patient’s best interest at heart; however, ultimately, it is the patient’s choice whether or not to follow our recommendations. This is why patient education is so important. In order to make the best decisions for themselves, they must be well-informed. That is why my social media plan, with patients in mind, is dedicated to patient education.”

Faye Nie is a fourth-year student at Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University. In her social media plan, The #PearleVisionFocusedIn campaign, she wrote “This public service announcement aims to raise awareness of the value of comprehensive eye care that considers not just vision correction but the notion that eye care can be tailored to individual needs. Through #PearleVisionFocusedIn, Pearle Vision highlights its dedication to creating a comfortable, trusted experience for every patient, where personalized care meets advanced eye health solutions. The primary goal of #PearleVisionFocusedIn is to inform the public about the importance of holistic, patient-centered eye care and to reinforce Pearle Vision’s promise.”

The 2026 scholarship applications will open in September 2025. Applications and criteria will be posted on The AOA Foundation website.

Support for scholarship grants is one of the most important investments that contributes to the present and future success of optometry students. The Endowment and Scholarship Fund is an established entity of Optometry Cares—The AOA Foundation that offers those who wish to make donations in support of the profession of optometry, primarily in the form of scholarships and tributes.

To contribute to The AOA Foundation, click here. For more information on the scholarships, visit Student Scholarships | The AOA Foundation.

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About The AOA Foundation

The AOA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization working to empower the optometric profession in providing awareness and access to health and vision care for the public. To learn more, please visit aoafoundation.org.

About the American Optometric Association

The American Optometric Association (AOA) is the leading authority on and advocate for quality eye health care, representing more than 50,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and optometric professionals. As the sole primary eye care provider in many communities across America, doctors of optometry are often a patient's first entry point into the health care system, and have extensive, ongoing training to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage disorders, diseases, and injuries that affect the eye and visual system. Through a nationwide public health initiative, AOA's Eye Deserve More campaign is fostering awareness of the importance of eye health and vision care and the overall health benefits of in-person, comprehensive eye examinations with AOA doctors of optometry for all Americans.