Ciba Vision has announced the winners of its inaugural ‘Excellence Beyond Optometry’ student award, which recognises outstanding community service.
Prizes went to final year students Claresta Soesanto (New South Wales), Vu Nguyen (Queensland) and Su Ching Ong (Victoria). They received AUD$3,000 and work experience in a corporate environment. Each of the winners has contributed extensively to the community by supporting charitable events and fund raising initiatives.
Claresta raised funds the through Catholic Indonesian Community at St Peter Julian in Haymarket Sydney for natural disasters including Japan, Mentawai, Pakistan and Queensland. She also co-organised teams to visit nursing homes and helped raise $8,000 for World Sight Day in 2008.
Vu Nguyen, from Queensland University of Technology, worked with the Brisbane Vietnamese community to fund-raise for groups including the Leukaemia Foundation, Red Nose Day, and Vietnamese War Veterans. He also raised funds for Optometry Giving Sight and World Sight Day.
Each of the winners has contributed extensively to the community by supporting charitable events and fund raising initiatives.
Melbourne student Su Ching Ong worked with the Chinese Cancer Society of Victoria and participated in Chinese cultural dancing for community and charity events. Additionally, she is a highly successful badminton player, having represented the Victorian state in 2003 and 2006, and won Gold in 2009 and bronze in 2010 at the Australian University Games. A qualified badminton coach, she is a volunteer badminton coach at Doncaster primary school.
Mr. Timothy Grant, Regional Head for Professional Affairs at Ciba Vision, said that through the awards the company hopes to open doors for “exceptional future optometrists who understand that their career choice is an opportunity not only to improve peoples’ vision, but contribute to the lives of the community they serve.”
