Brynn’s Story
For third-year NECO student Brynn Johnson, OD ‘27, choosing a path in optometry meant stepping far outside her comfort zone—geographically, academically, and financially.
Growing up in Buffalo, New York, Brynn cast a wide net for graduate schools, looking within a six-hour radius of home. The moment she visited NECO, she knew she had found her place.
“I felt comfortable here from the start,” Brynn recalls. “Even though I didn’t know a single person in Massachusetts, I could tell NECO would be a community that supported me every step of the way.”
Her instincts proved right. From working alongside beloved faculty members like Dr. Maureen Hanley and Dr. Bina Patel, to representing NECO at national events such as Vision Expo, Brynn immersed herself fully in campus life. “NECO has become a big piece of my heart,” she says.
“NECO has become a big piece of my heart.”
– Brynn Johnson
But the journey to becoming a doctor of optometry isn’t just academically rigorous—it’s financially demanding. In her third year, the cost of national board exams loomed large. “Each exam is close to $1,500, and you take three of them,” Brynn said. “For me, that’s more than a month’s rent. When you’re budgeting for tuition, housing, and daily living expenses, it’s a huge stressor.”
That’s where the Drs. Clifford and Mary Scott Scholarship Fund made all the difference. “Receiving this scholarship felt like a huge weight lifted,” she says. “It allowed me to focus on preparing for boards without worrying about how I’d pay for them. The Scotts are truly investing in the future of our profession by helping us cross these final hurdles.”
Brynn’s vision for her own future is clear: a residency in pediatrics, followed by work in underserved areas, possibly back near her hometown. She hopes to specialize in care for children with autism, Down syndrome, and complex medical needs, and to establish optometric services in hospitals that currently lack them. “I’ve met families who have to travel eight or nine hours for specialized care,” she says. “I want to be the person who brings that care closer to home.”
In classrooms, clinics, and communities, Brynn is already carrying NECO’s mission forward. And thanks to the generosity of donors like Drs. Clifford and Mary Scott, she, and others like her, are empowered to make an even greater impact.
The Scotts: From Classmates to Champions
The Scotts’ Lasting Impact on NECO