Feb. 15, 2024 — The SUNY College of Optometry, in partnership with the college’s foundation, the Optometric Center of New York, recently held its annual scholarship presentation program to honor three students with scholarships established by the Friedfeld family of ClearVision Optical (CVO): the Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship and the newly created Optical Community Scholarship.

Through an endowed fund, CVO co-owner and president David Friedfeld established the Optical Community Scholarship, set to be granted annually to optometry students who work or have an interest in working with underrepresented patients and communities.

The recipients of the inaugural Optical Community Scholarship are Christine Chou, class of 2025, and Nia Ebrahim, class of 2024.

“ClearVision was founded 75 years ago on a set of values including service, compassion, respect, and integrity,” says Friedfeld. “Those values were instilled in the company, and in our family, through my father. This scholarship is an effort to live up to those values by helping future optometrists close the gap in eyecare access and ensure better industry and vision health for patients everywhere.”

Founded by David and his brother, CVO co-owner and vice president Peter Friedfeld, the Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship celebrates their father, the founder of CVO, and has raised more than $110,000 since its inception in 2014. Recipients receive $3,500, and 10 scholarships have been awarded. The recipient of the 2023 Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship was Gurleen Klair, class of 2024.

“We…consider our engagement with students, particularly through our dynamic internship program, as a key way to meaningfully contribute to the community and to the ongoing career development, education, and skill building of future professionals through training and support,” says Jen Trakhtenberg, CVO chief people officer and co-chief operating officer.