Olivia Wynn, OD’26, Receives Leadership Award

VSP Vision has named five optometry students as recipients of the 2026 Dr. Marvin R. Poston Leadership Award, presented in partnership with the National Optometric Association (NOA), according to an announcement from the company. Announced during the recent NOA Annual Convention in St. Louis, the awards celebrate the next generation of optometric leaders committed to expanding access to eyecare. One of the more than 70 scholarships VSP Vision offers annually, the Dr. Marvin R. Poston Leadership Award honors the legacy of Dr. Poston, the first Black optometrist on the West Coast and a co-founder of VSP Vision.

The scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, a passion for community service, and a willingness to pursue employment in a private practice setting that can help close the gap in eyecare services in underserved communities. Each recipient receives a $4,000 scholarship to support their optometric education.

The 2026 recipients include:

  • Victoria Robinson – University of Houston College of Optometry (Class of 2029)
  • Nazin Ghaffarizadeh – Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Class of 2028)
  • Monica Thu Do – University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry (Class of 2027)
  • Haley Hill, OD – Indiana University School of Optometry (Class of 2026)
  • Olivia Wynn, OD – New England College of Optometry (Class of 2026)

“Dr. Poston understood the importance of providing care and serving his community to deliver lasting change,” said Marvin Davenport, chief inclusion officer at VSP Vision. “This year’s award recipients reflect his example and are another proof point that the future of optometry is bright. We congratulate these five outstanding students and are proud to continue doubling down on our support of and investment in the next generation of optometric leaders.”

In recognition of the spirit of service embodied by Dr. Poston’s legacy and this year’s scholarship recipients, VSP Vision and the NOA kicked off the 2026 convention in service by hosting a VSP Eyes of Hope mobile clinic, providing free eye exams and prescription eyewear to St. Louis residents in need.

To date, VSP Vision has provided more than $4.3 million in scholarships to nearly 1,300 optometry students. To learn more about VSP Vision’s scholarship opportunities, click here.