Piedmont EyeCare Gives Back with Annual Scholarships for High School Seniors in Charlotte, NC

Each doctor and each staff member at Piedmont EyeCare is passionate about giving back to the Charlotte area community. Everyone has their own way of engaging in civic service work. For Piedmont EyeCare, civic service work that benefits the lives of the Charlotte area youth is of particular importance. That is precisely why Piedmont EyeCare began sponsoring an annual scholarship program. This program provides scholarship funds for twelve local high school seniors in Charlotte, NC; funds that each student can use for their upcoming collegiate pursuits.

Doctors Who Care

Dr. Michael Johnson is certainly a big proponent of community involvement in the Charlotte area. Since moving to Charlotte in 1993, he and his family have been active volunteers in many community initiatives. As a former Division 1 soccer player at the University of Dayton in Ohio, Dr. Johnson  has volunteered as a youth soccer coach in the Charlotte area. Additionally,  as a volunteer for Union County Public Schools, he has assisted with the Marvin Ridge High School Marching Band and Color Guard programs..

Dr. Scott Philippe is equally involved in the Charlotte community. He firmly believes that civic service is very important. As such, Dr. Philippe served as the Chairman of the annual Swing for Sight Golf Tournament from 1997 to 2003. Since 2006, he has served on the North Carolina Governor’s Early Childhood Vision Commission. He was appointed by the Governor to the NC Board of Optometry for a 5 year term in 2015.

Youth Scholarship Program

Dr. Johnson and Dr. Philippe believe that supporting our youth in the Charlotte community is very important part of giving back. In this spirit of community involvement with Charlotte area youth, Piedmont EyeCare offers a wonderful annual scholarship program for high school seniors . This annual scholarship for high school seniors in Charlotte, NC is just one of the many ways in which Piedmont EyeCare gives back to the Charlotte community.

The doctors at Piedmont EyeCare wanted to find a way to regularly support our Charlotte area youth. In 2005 they decided that an annual scholarship would be a great way to give back.

About the Scholarship Program

Piedmont EyeCare’s annual scholarship program is offered to high school seniors at six Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Union County, and South Carolina High Schools. These six high schools include Ardrey Kell High School, Cuthbertson High School, Indian Land High School, Marvin Ridge High School, Sun Valley High School, and Weddington High School. Two students, a young woman and a young man, from each of the six high schools are selected as scholarship recipients.

All high school seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in the medical field are strongly encouraged to apply to Piedmont EyeCare’s annual scholarship program. Each applicant must complete an application as well as a personal essay on their aspirations and why they are interested in pursuing a career in health care. Every staff member at Piedmont EyeCare reviews each and every application and essay that is submitted. After the review process, the staff vote for their favorite two applicants from each of the six participating high schools.

Once the votes are counted, two recipients, one male and one female, are selected from each high school. Each of the lucky recipients receives a $500 scholarship. This scholarship can be used for any aspect of each student’s collegiate endeavors. Such endeavors may include, but are not limited to, admission fees, required materials for courses, and student housing. Each recipient is allowed to utilize their $500 scholarship for their scholastic pursuits as they see fit.

Since its inception in 2005, Piedmont EyeCare’s annual scholarship has granted over $40,000 to deserving Charlotte area high school seniors.

Previous Winners

Piedmont EyeCare’s Doctors and staff, all take this time of year very seriously. They are all very proud of the practice’s community involvement and derive great joy from being able to meet the scholarship recipients each year.

Meet a Few of the Past Reciepents

Marissa (pictured on the right) is a 2016 scholarship recipient from Sun Valley High School. Marissa was set to attend Western Carolina University for the upcoming fall semester. In her application essay she wrote, “I am beyond blessed to have been raised by wonderful nurses, who are excellent examples.” Marissa was a very deserving recipient. Everyone at Piedmont EyeCare wishes her the best of luck with her bright future.

Megan (pictured on the left) is also one of the 2016 scholarship recipients. She attended Cuthbertson High School. In her essay, Megan wrote that medicine was in her blood. Many of her immediate and extended family members are in the medical profession, and witnessing the work first hand only encouraged her dream to someday work in the medical field herself. Megan plans to pursue a degree that will help aid her on her path to become a Nurse Practitioner. Everyone at Piedmont EyeCare wishes her the best of luck as she moves forward with her education.

Interested In Applying?

Are you a high school senior at one of the six Charlotte area high schools that participate in Piedmont EyeCare’s annual scholarship program? Are you passionate about pursuing a career in the medical field? You do not need to be interested in optometry specifically. Interest in any career in the medical field can qualify you.

Ask your high school’s guidance counselor for an application for the Piedmont EyeCare annual scholarship! Your high school’s guidance counselor will provide you with all of the details for  the application. Additionally, your high school’s guidance counselor will be able to answer any general or specific questions that you may have regarding the Piedmont Eyecare annual scholarship program application process.