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At Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers, one of our primary goals is to “Fight for the Win.” We believe this tenet of our practice inspires our attorneys to explore cases from new angles to better serve our clients. When we debuted the “For the Win” Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers scholarship, we hoped to connect with a student who shared this mindset.

This year, the team proudly awards its $1,000 scholarship to Gurneet Kaur. Kaur recently began her first year at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry. She intends to build on a lifetime of vision advocacy by pursuing a degree that will let her offer eye exams and other essential services to communities in need.

Kaur Intends to Give Back After Receiving a Helping Hand

Kaur’s interest in optometry stemmed from her experience with her own undertreated eyesight. When discussing the motivations that drove her to pursue an education in optometry, she says:

“I have had poor vision since I was around seven years old; however, I did not receive glasses until I was eleven. This inaccessibility to eye care was primarily because of cost and lack of vision care knowledge. After many years of strained vision, my parents … realized my need for glasses.”

In the wake of her treatment, Kaur joined a non-profit mobile vision clinic. The clinic improved underprivileged communities’ access to eye care and glasses by reaching out to elementary schools. Once there, volunteers like Kaur could help children test their eyesight and get corrective gear. 

Kaur’s Inspiration for Pursuing a Career in Optometry

Kaur notes that her service with the mobile vision clinic helped families who might never have received glasses or aid due to lack of transportation or reduced incomes. However, her motivation for promoting more accessible eyecare comes from somewhere closer to home – closer even than her own experience.

Kaur’s Punjabi aunt has previous experience with the inaccessibility of optometry treatments. A previous physician diagnosed her with glaucoma but could not explain why Kaur’s aunt had to use her eye drops.

The lack of trust established between Kaur’s aunt and her optometrist led Kaur’s aunt to stop using her glaucoma medication, much to the detriment of her health.

Kaur wants her own eyecare practice to meet the cultural needs of underserved clientele. Her talent for languages, as she speaks Spanish, Punjabi, English, Urdu, and Hindi, should make that easier.

What to Expect From Kaur in the Future

Kaur has built a foundation of outreach and eye care knowledge by volunteering with a mobile, non-profit eye clinic. As she pursues an education in optometry at UC Berkeley’s School of Optometry, she’ll gain the knowledge she needs to join cutting-edge professionals researching improved eye care and vision treatments.

When speaking about her future plans, Kaur says:

“I want to come back to the Central Valley…to give back to the medically underserved communities. I plan on working in a community health center to provide and advocate for eye care in underserved communities. I hope to continue working with local non-profit organizations once I become an optometrist to provide eye care to those who need it most.”

Kaur is set to graduate in four years. The team looks forward to seeing how she’ll use the dedication she’s honed over the years to excel while pursuing her academic goals. 

All About the 2024 For the Win Scholarship

Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers’ “For the Win” scholarship reflects the law firm’s core values. Our attorneys want to make it as easy as possible for our clients to get the support they need after devastating accidents. That’s why we pay attention to the finer details of our cases and don’t back down from unique legal challenges.

It’s not always easy to fight for the win, which is why our team wants to celebrate those young people who do. The “For the Win” scholarship promises $1,000 to students who can press forward in the face of life’s obstacles. We encourage any student interested in applying for this scholarship to ask themselves:

• What adversity have you overcome?
• How did you achieve your goals despite the odds?
• What did you learn from your “fight for the win”?
• What are you fighting for today, and how has that fight shaped your life?

Students can submit essays between 750 and 1,000 words to Scott Vicknair’s scholarship selection committee for consideration. We encourage students to check the scholarship’s terms and conditions page for more information about when the firm will begin accepting applications again.

Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers Applauds Gurneet Kaur

The team with Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers once again congratulates Gurneet Kaur on her outstanding commitment to the pursuit of her Optometry degree. The scholarship selection committee appreciates the time Kaur took to elaborate on her motivations and the grace with which she presented her bid for financial support.

Students who want to follow in Kaur’s footsteps and apply for next year’s “Fight for the Win” scholarship may visit the scholarship’s terms and conditions page to learn more about its criteria. Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers looks forward to helping more students like Kaur achieve their academic goals.