VSP Premier Edge™
STUDENT BUSINESS CHALLENGE
The VSP Premier Edge Student Business Challenge is a scholarship opportunity for optometry students interested in a path to private practice ownership. In collaboration with the Association of Practice Management Educators (APME) and Student Optometric Leadership Network (SOLN), the VSP Premier Edge Student Business Challenge asks applicants to submit a business plan that describes their professional and personal plan to private practice ownership. One optometry student will be awarded one (1) $10,000 scholarship, plus a travel grant to the annual SOLN Conference. In addition, two (2) runners-up will be awarded $5,000 each, plus each will receive a travel grant to the annual SOLN Conference.
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Applicants must be a current student attending one of the schools or colleges of optometry with a SOLN-affiliated Private Practice Club. They must also be an active Private Practice Club board member representative from their school of optometry.
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APME judges will evaluate and select the top three candidates, who will be contacted to present their business plans at the 2025 SOLN Conference where the official winner will be announced.
The deadline to apply is February 2, 2025.
2025 STUDENT BUSINESS CHALLENGE WINNER
VSP Vision™ has announced a student from Midwestern University, Arizona College of Optometry, Brooke Pratt as the 2025 Premier Edge™ Student Business Challenge winner.
In collaboration with the Association of Practice Management Educators (APME) and Student Optometric Leadership Network (SOLN), the challenge was designed for optometry students interested in a path to private practice ownership. This year the competition was high and each finalist showed incredible ambition within private practice optometry. So much so, that for the first time both were announced winners side by side! Malia Kawena Princess McDowell and Nastasya Liem were both awarded a $10,000 scholarship, as well as a travel grant to the annual SOLN conference.
See below for previous year's finalists and winners!
