Walmart Announces Winners of Scholarship Competition
The final round of the Walmart and Sam’s Club Project Foresight National Scholarship Competition was held in conjunction with Optometry’s Meeting in Washington, DC.
Thirty-one teams (62 students) from 14 optometric institutions across the nation participated in this year’s competition. The 16 student finalists (eight teams) met with the Walmart and Sam’s Club Health and Wellness leadership in attendance to network and build relationships. The teams presented their ideas to our panel of judges (Dr. Chris Cordero – Optometry/Optical Health & Wellness Professional Relations, Dr. Doug O’Connor – Walmart Associate Doctor Partner, Warren Moore – Sr. Director Health & Wellness Operations Support , Sharon Early – Health & Wellness Regional Talent Specialist, Jaime Reilly – Walmart Health & Wellness Regional Director, and Kevin Morgan – Sam’s Health & Wellness Regional Director) on how Walmart and Sam’s Club partners with Doctors of Optometry and how they envision that partnership moving forward.
Walmart and Sam’s Club hosted a Dessert Reception to announce the winners of this prestigious competition. Numerous students, Deans and Presidents of various institutions, friends, family, and the Walmart and Sam’s Club Health and Wellness leadership team members were in attendance for the announcement of the overall winners of the competition.
Each of the eight teams that advanced to the final round of the competition was awarded a $1,500 team scholarship in addition to a $1,500 team travel grant to attend and compete in the final round of the competition at Optometry’s Meeting. As the runners up, Aaron Nichols and Mohammed Jomha from the Illinois College of Optometry received a $5,000 team scholarship. Kate Hamm and Rachel Simpson from the University of St. Louis-College of Optometry received a $15,000 team scholarship as the grand prize winners.