Student Scholarships

Nicholas A. Pennipede Memorial Scholarship

For over three decades, Eye Associates has had the privilege of providing eye care to thousands of patients and families across the Kansas City metro area. Our success wouldn’t be possible without the resources and help of the families, communities and cities where we do business.

Our founder, Vincent Pennipede, through his own dedication and drive, was able to obtain a health professions scholarship from the military. He then went on to start our first office in Overland Park.

Following in that spirit of achievement, we are proud to offer scholarships to students looking to achieve their college educational goals while demonstrating a commitment to helping their communities. We look forward awarding scholarships to sincere and dedicated students who share our values of community building and hard work.

Scholarship Amount

• $1,000

Eligibility

• You have been accepted to an accredited college or university and are going to be enrolled full-time within the next six (6) months; OR
• You have been accepted to an optometry school and are going to be enrolled as a optometry student within the next six (6) months.

Current/Upcoming 2025 Scholarship Calendar

• Fall 2026:

  • Application starts: March 16, 2026

  • Application ends: October 15, 2026, 11:59 pm CST

  • The winner will be announced by ~ November 15, 2026

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Application Requirements and Guidelines

• Please attach a 500-800 word essay and discuss:
  • How you plan to use your education to serve the community?
  • How will receiving this scholarship help you achieve your goals?
  • Why Eye Associates should select you for this scholarship?
• Submit proof of enrollment or an acceptance letter from an accredited university or optometry school that is listed on the official website of the U.S. Department of Education.
• Provide a statement of your current academic status, as well as evidence that you are currently enrolled or accepted at the institution as set forth above.
• Please submit your essay as a pdf file. Essays in any other form will not be accepted.
• NOTE: By applying for this scholarship, you give us express consent to confirm your admission and attendance by contacting the college or university.
• The winning candidate will be selected by a team of reviewers at Eye Associates, Inc. and will be based on the student’s essay, their application criteria and other information.
• Please don't submit a mass produced, 'boilerplate' essay. We'd like you to take the time to honor the spirit of our scholarship and write uniquely for us.

​​​​​​​Privacy Policy and Communications

By submitting an application, the applicant automatically grants Eye Associates, Inc. permission to post the applicant’s name, college, photo (if submitted) and essay on seetheclarity.com or in other marketing communications, even if the candidate does not win the scholarship. We are also granted permission to call and/or send you information regarding your application.

When you send email communications to Eye Associates, Inc, the firm and/or its representatives may retain those communications in order to process or respond to your inquiries or application as related to the scholarship. Eye Associates, Inc and its representatives will not knowingly sell, share, rent or otherwise transfer your information other than in accordance with the terms set forth in this Privacy Policy. By participating in this scholarship, you give us your express consent to confirm your admission and attendance at the college or university by contacting the institution for verification.
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Terms and Conditions

• Selection: The winning candidate will be selected by a team of reviewers at Eye Associates, Inc. and will be based on the student’s essay and other information submitted.

• Disbursement: The scholarship funds can be sent via check, PayPal, or other means.

• Duration: This scholarship is for one academic school year. All scholarships are non-renewable.

• Submissions: All submitted photos and essays must be the original work of the applicant. Only one submission may be entered per student, per year. Duplicate entries will be disqualified.

• Accuracy: By submitting an application for the Nicholas A. Pennipede Memorial Scholarship, you certify that all the information you have provided is accurate and complete.

• Permissions: The applicant automatically grants Eye Associates, Inc., its agents, and/or representatives permission to:

  • Use their name, photo, essay response, and award amount, if any, in announcements or articles (e.g., social media, newsletter, etc.) issued by Eye Associates, Inc.

  • Post the applicant’s name, college or university, and essay on the seetheclarity.com website and other Eye Associates marketing platforms (such as Facebook, X/Twitter, or e-newsletters).

  • Call and/or send information to the applicant regarding their application.

• Winner Notification & Response: Winners will be notified via email and announced publicly on Eye Associates’ social media pages. Winners must respond within 14 calendar days from the email receipt of notification; otherwise, the scholarship will be forfeited and awarded to another winner.

• Proof of Enrollment: Students must show proof of current enrollment to an accredited US college, university, or vocational/trade school within 14 calendar days by submitting either a copy of the tuition bill or an official letter of proof from the school.

• Forfeiture: In the event a winner cannot prove their enrollment to an accredited college, university, or vocational/trade school, Eye Associates, Inc. will revoke the award for that individual and award it to the first runner-up.

• Media Release: The winner agrees to provide high-resolution .jpeg images or high-resolution scans of original prints or negatives for reproduction by Eye Associates, Inc. The images or scans must be received with a signed statement granting Eye Associates, Inc. the right to use them, according to the stipulations above, prior to the award being released.