Introducing the 2025 NECO and IUSO Student Innovator Awardees

VSP Vision™ proudly announces three winners of the Student Innovator Award for their creative and feasible solutions poised to advance innovation in the optical industry.  

New England College of Optometry (NECO): 

• Michelle Shang, Class of 2026
  • Project: Redefining Keratoconus Care: Noninvasive RNA Delivery for Corneal Repair 
• Megan Ngo, Class of 2027 
  • Project: Accessibility in Eyedrops 

Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO): 

• Elise Radcliffe, Class of 2027 
  • Project: Sleep Tight – A Novel Lid Closure Technique for Nocturnal Sleep Protection 

Each winner received a $5,000 scholarship to help bring their ideas to life. 

This annual award honors the legacy of Rick Bay, former publisher and president of Review of Optometry and Review of Ophthalmology. VSP^® partners with the Rick Bay Foundation to recognize outstanding student innovation and support the next generation of optometrists. 

To date, VSP Vision has invested more than $4 million in scholarships designed to support the future of optometry. Learn more at vspproviderhub.com/scholarships.