The AOA Foundation announces new Silhouette Scholarship

The AOA Foundation today announces the launch of a new scholarship in partnership with The Silhouette Group. The Silhouette Scholarship is available to 1 second-year student and will award $2,500 annually.

“The AOA Foundation is always looking for new and innovative ways to support students,” said Lynn Hammonds, OD, The AOA Foundation Student Scholarship Committee Chair. “The Silhouette Scholarship is an amazing opportunity to hear how the next generation plans to prioritize sustainability.”

The scholarship opens September 10, and all materials are due November 3, 2025. The winner will be announced in January 2026.

“Silhouette is rooted in sustainability, and we’re thrilled to hear from the next generation of doctors of optometry. There’s always room for new environmentally conscious ideas and Silhouette is continually looking for ways to reduce overall environmental impact,” said Craig LaManna, Director of Marketing at Silhouette. “This scholarship offers a pathway to nurture our future leaders as we all continue to look out for our planet.”

Scholarship details and eligibility

Silhouette is renowned for its minimalistic approach to eyewear design, prioritizing both innovation and environmental consciousness. Silhouette and The AOA Foundation will award a $2,500 scholarship to the author of the essay that best outlines how they plan to contribute to a more sustainable future in eye care as a doctor of optometry.

To be considered for this scholarship, an applicant must also:

• Be a second-year optometry student (class of 2028) in good membership standing with the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) and the American Optometric Association (AOA).
• Be in good academic standing based on your school’s criteria.

For more information and to apply, visit The AOA Foundation’s website.

2026 student scholarships

The AOA Foundation offers numerous student scholarships as a pillar in their mission to invest in the present and future success of optometry students.

2026 student scholarship application are open in September 2025 and can be found on the foundation website.

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.

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.

The Silhouette Group was founded in 1964 by Annelise and Arnold Schmied and is the largest independent family-owned eyewear company in the world. Silhouette eyewear is available in over 100 countries, with all frames and lenses hand-crafted in Linz, Austria with a huge focus on sustainability. Silhouette is known for lightweight comfort, the perfect fit for each consumer, and long-lasting durability. Throughout the manufacturing process, they continually look for ways to reduce overall environmental impact.