TLC Vision Centers, LLC (“TLC”) wishes to recognize third (3rd) and fourth (4th) year optometric students who best demonstrate clinical and/or academic excellence in the area of laser refractive technologies.
A committee appointed by TLC shall select a total of three (3) scholarships based upon the criteria listed below.
Each scholarship winner will be awarded: (i) five thousand dollars ($5,000.00 USD) in scholarship money to pay for, or reimburse, tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at his or her accredited optometry school (“Grant”); (ii) a stipend to attend the 15th Annual Optometric Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Society (“OCCRS”) Educational Symposium in San Diego, California from April 13-14 2019; and (iii) the opportunity to shadow a TLC clinical director at one of TLC’s facilities for the day.
Eligibility & Criteria:
In order to be considered eligible, prior to February 1, 2019, entrants must successfully submit a completed application to TLCscholarship@tlcvision.com, indicating how the applicant intends to submit their video essay. Video essays must be successfully submitted via the indicated method and must meet the below criteria. At the applicant’s sole discretion, an applicant may choose to strengthen their applicant profile by posting the video essay to their personal page as a public post on Facebook or other social media channel (“Social Media Post”) and provide a corresponding web link to the Social Media Post. Entrants must not include any identifiable or specific patient information.
Video essays must be one to two minutes in length, and must address one of the below topics:
1. What inspired your clinical interests in area of laser refractive technologies?
2. Without including any identifiable or specific patient information, what has been your most fulfilling patient care case in area of laser refractive technology?
3. What do you consider as the beneficial impacts of laser refractive technologies to patients’ lives?
The TLC scholarship selection committee will consider the strength of each video submission in its ability to increase awareness for refractive technologies.
Proposed Disclaimers
1. Eligibility. The TLC Scholarship is open to individuals who are at least eighteen (18) years of age, third or fourth year optometry students, and currently enrolled and attending an accredited optometry school in the United States. Employees of TLC or any affiliate provider, and their family members, are not eligible.
2. Acknowledgements. By applying for a scholarship, you: (i) represent that your Application and Social Media Post are true and correct and the material submitted with it is your original work that has not been previously published; (ii) agree that all material you are submitting in association with your application shall be the property of TLC, which it may freely use without further consideration; (iii) grant TLC permission to use your name, photographic and video images and likeness in TLC publications, including website entries and TLC social media posts (a separate Affidavit of Eligibility and Photo Release may be required); and (iv) represent that you have not included any identifiable or specific patient information in you submission.
3. Selection of Awardees. A committee appointed by TLC shall be the sole decision-maker regarding the award of any scholarship. Its decision shall be final. The selection committee reserves the right to close off eligibility after the first 200_eligible applications have been received.
4. Scholarship. Scholarships must be used to pay for, or reimburse, tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at, the accredited optometry school. You agree to provide documentation requested by TLC substantiating the use of the Scholarship.
5. Travel Stipend. TLC will provide a stipend to attend the [15th Annual Optometric Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Society (“OCCRS”) Educational Symposium held April 13-14, 2019] in San Diego, California (“Travel Stipend”). You agree to provide documentation requested by TLC substantiating the use of the Travel Stipend.
6. Taxation: TLC is not required to report Scholarships to the IRS or the student recipient, or to withhold taxes. It is the student’s responsibility to report income properly on his or her personal tax returns. Scholarships are not taxable if: (i) the grant is used to pay for tuition and fees, or books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the institution; and (ii) the recipient is a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and has a regularly enrolled student body.
The Travel Stipend may not be reported on a tax document (e.g. IRS Form W-2 or 1099-MISC), but may be considered to be self-reported income, taxable to you. You may be required to pay estimated quarterly taxes to federal and state tax authorities on this Travel Stipend.
Please seek advice from your personal tax advisor.