1. Bernard Maitenaz Scholarship Candidate
Spencer Lin, graduating class of 2019
Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

2. Leadership/Involvement
President of the Class of 2019 at Salus University
President of Private Practice Club
President of the New Jersey Student Society of Optometric Physicians
Secretary for Lions Club
Member of the Student Optometric Leadership Network (SOLN)
Extracurricular involvement
Orientation leader for the incoming class
Note Taking Service
Tutor for Optics
Lobbied for HB 1288/SB 257/SB 668 in Harrisburg, PA with POA members
Attended Vision Expo East and Optometry’s meeting
Recipient of the Dr. Leslie Mintz scholarship

3. Impact of vision Economy Quality of life Safety Education
Almost every job has visual demands and visual impairment/blindness creates economic costs from reduced quality of work
Jobs that require precise vision can create costly problems if visual mistakes are made such as misdiagnosing patient from incorrect urine color assessment
Quality of life
Visual impairment prevents individuals from enjoying hobbies, performing daily living tasks, and other visual demands
Safety
Good infrastructure depends on individuals being able to see and follow signs
Restricting visually impaired individuals from driving and putting people at risk
Education
Vision is vital in learning, especially from an early age
Can determine quality of learning and influence future career choices

4. Limited access to Vision Care Outside of the US
Increased incidence of preventable blindness such as from glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, etc.
No management of amblyopia and other conditions that cause decreased vision early on
Decreased quality of life living with treatable conditions such as cataracts and simple refractive error
No low vision services to those who live with a visually impairing condition to help them integrate back into society with accommodations

5. Future aspirations
Learn everything about the profession to provide the best patient care and stay updated with current technologies and trends
Advocate for the sake of the profession
Educate the general public about Optometry’s impact on society
Support regulations that maximize Optometry’s ability to provide eyecare
Fight against disruptors in the profession (online exams, 1800 contacts, etc.) that put patient’s health at risk
Travel to countries with limited access to eye care to provide examinations and glasses to correct refractive errors
Own a private practice that places strong emphasis on patient eyecare and establish my network of professionals to provide the best care to my patients