After more than 50 years of existence, FERV continues to work in partnership with the Dean and UHCO to positively impact the lives of students, faculty, staff and practicing optometrists. Some of the ways that FERV has helped UHCO is by providing much-needed resources for scholarships, endowed professorships and short-term student loans and funding for various activities.
Student scholarships come from a variety of sources, including individuals, families, classes and others that have donated and shared their vision of creating a lasting legacy for UHCO. While on faculty at UHCO, Dr. Nelson Reber established the highly successful Eye Open Golf Tournament. Though the Eye Open and Dr. Reber are now both retired, the endowment created through that event continues to grow in perpetuity and awards ten $1,000 scholarships at the annual Spring Awards Banquet. More recently, Drs. Vissett Sun and Desiree Hopping established the FERV Fall Classic Golf Tournament (held every October) with the goal of providing funds for scholarships and emergency loan funds through FERV.
Since 1999, Dr. Dave Perrigin has spearheaded the Class Endowed Scholarship Program. The Classes of 1969, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1985 and 2010 have reached the minimum funding level of $30,000, and seven $1,000 scholarships will now be awarded in August 2008.
In September 2004, FERV committed to endowing three UH System Professorships, and I’m proud to say that all three have now been funded. The first one is the Dr. Charles R. Stewart Professorship, which was awarded to Dr. Ruth O. Manny in March 2006. The second one is the Dr. Kevin McDaid/Vision Source Professorship which will be awarded in the near future. Drs. Dixon and Dennis Golden have funded the third professorship, and it will be named the Golden-Golden Professorship.
Over the years, FERV has made an ongoing commitment to UHCO’s student organizations and supported many of their activities, such as the care packages given during finals week, the White Coat Ceremony, the Spring Awards Banquet, the Cornealympics, softball tournaments, TEXOCOP, graduation, and student travel to the AOA and NOA meetings.
These are just a few of the many things that FERV is involved with at UHCO. We invite you to look over the various endowments and consider donating to an existing one or creating a new one! Give to a cause that you believe in and invest in the future at UHCO. Contact Liz Mauzy at emauzy@opt.uh.edu or 713.743.1795 for more information on how you can make a difference.
