Did you know that you don't have to be an OWA member or a business to support the OWA? Since September 2017, any person — male or female — has been able to support the OWA through the Individual Contributor Program. Contribution amounts can be anywhere from $100 to $1000+ annually, and in addition to supporting the general mission of the OWA your dollars directly fund the OWA's Leadership Scholarship program. These scholarships are granted to OWA members who have shown exemplary volunteer service in helping the OWA reach its goals and are presented in the form of an esteemed leadership experience such as a seminar, conference, or workshop, and includes travel and registration expenses. And, new in 2020, individual contributions also fund one Leadership Scholarship for a woman (OWA member or non-member) in each of our platinum sponsor's organizations. In short, your money goes a long way in directly supporting the leadership roles of women in the optical industry!
Gretchen Oldt currently leads the individual contributor program and states that "the ability to connect and grow individuals to the OWA mission and initiatives allows us to increase visibility, impact, and networks." Because people connect with people, it's most often individuals who are the biggest cheerleaders for OWA members and who have the enthusiasm and reach to build support for amazing opportunities like the Leadership Scholarship.
Jamie Shyer, the Co-CEO/Chief Operating Officer at Zyloware Eyewear, is one of the OWA's individual contributors. After seeing the benefits and positive advancements his team members who are OWA members have procured from the organization with the aid of company sponsorship, he said it was a "no-brainer to become an independent contributor and support the mission and vision of the OWA through this first-hand and personal opportunity."
Although there are many tangible benefits to being part of the Individual Contributor Program (like a listing on the OWA website, recognition in an OWA newsletter, and first invitations to "limited seating" OWA events), Jamie states that the biggest benefit for him is knowing that he is personally investing in honing the expertise of each of his female team members. This investment has resulted in continued growth and success for Zyloware Eyewear, but more so, and on a personal level, he states that "it truly makes me feel good knowing that I am doing a small part to support all of the incredible women of our industry, so many who have faced past adversity in a male-dominated business and who are now leaders in their own right. Knowing I am personally supporting these women is a true benefit unto itself."
If you're still on the fence about becoming an individual contributor, Jamie suggests thinking about it as an investment, not a charitable gift. "By contributing to the OWA, we are investing in all of our futures and the future of the optical industry at large. Take a look around our industry. How many organizations have programs, events, and resources that have such a positive and immediate impact on so many people? With individual sponsorship, you are investing in our people, and what is more important than that? Bottom line — the support that we provide the OWA is directly given back to the advancement of our industry, which means no matter what your role is within the optical business, we are all benefitting."
The first two Leadership Scholarships from the program were awarded last year. Janna Neal was one of the recipients and she said that the award "gave me an adrenaline rush both professionally and personally. Through the program I saw that the qualities I was previously ashamed of were actually my strengths. I realized that I could empower others to look at things the very same way. The program was a boost to my confidence!"
This year, thanks to contributors like Jamie Shyer and others, the Individual Contributor Program is able to fund nine Leadership Scholarship Awards — three directly through the fund and six through platinum sponsors. If you or someone you know would like to be part of this growing momentum to directly and positively impact individual women, please consider joining the Individual Contributor Program. You can learn more and apply directly using the button below.
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