4 Optometry Scholarships (January 2026)

The purpose of the Nicholas A. Pennipede Memorial Scholarship is to support students with a dedication to serving their community. Applicants must be accepted to a college or university as an undergraduate freshman or have been accepted to an optometry school and are enrolling as an optometry freshman. Students must write an essay discussing how they will use their education to serve a community and provide proof of enrollment along with the application materials.

The purpose of the Petry-Lomb Scholarship/Research Grant is to support deserving optometry students or graduate students who are interested in returning to upstate New York to practice after they complete their education. Applicants must be second, third or fourth years optometry students or graduate students in an accredited college of optometry exhibiting financial need and interested in returning to upstate New York after graduation to practice. Preference will be given to Rochester Optometric Society geographical bases of Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Genesee and Ontario counties, New York.

The purpose of the Bill Mattingly Memorial Scholarship is to assist students in the Paso Del Norte area. Applicants must be optometry and ophthalmology students and residents specifically interested in the field of low vision.

The purpose of the Health Professions Pre-Graduate Scholarship Program is to aid Native Americans and Alaska Natives who are enrolled in selected health-related pre-professional degree programs. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are enrolled in or accepted into a pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-optometry, pre-podiatry or other health-related pre-professional degree program. Applicants must have plans to work in the Native American or Alaska Native community as a health care provider in the chosen field of study. Selection is based on academic achievement, recommendation letters and the applicant's stated career goals. Applicant must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.