LifeSight launched its first community outreach in 2005 with a scholarship program supporting students pursuing post-secondary education in health care careers, especially in eye health. From 2005 to 2011, nearly $75,000 in healthcare scholarship funds empowered dozens of recipients from throughout the Northern Plains region to pursue their educational aspirations.
In 2011, the program was renamed the Dr. Paul L. Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship. Dr. Zimmerman, who passed away that year, was a respected member of the LifeSight Board of Directors and beloved ophthalmologist at Black Hills Regional Eye Institute. After fighting melanoma of the right eye with incredible courage and unrelenting optimism, he sadly succumbed to the disease.
Throughout his life, Dr. Zimmerman never stopped learning. His boundless curiosity and passion for sharing knowledge, combined with a genuine love for people, made him the consummate teacher. Whether he was guiding students in the early years of his career as a high school teacher or later caring for patients as an ophthalmologist, he approached every interaction with a spirit of mentorship, empathy, and dedication.
The Dr. Paul L. Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the enduring legacy of Dr. Zimmerman, whose life and service continue to inspire, and advance LifeSight’s mission to ensure future generations have access to quality eye care in our region.
In a partnership begun in 2013 with the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, the scholarship transitioned to being awarded to fourth-year medical students committed to ophthalmology and exemplifying Dr. Zimmerman’s values of leadership, service, and kindness.
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be enrolled at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.6, exhibit strong leadership qualities, and have resided in one of the following states: South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, or Montana.
A generous $25,000 gift in 2017, matched by the University of South Dakota Foundation, established the LifeSight Dr. Paul L. Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship Endowment, securing the scholarship’s future for generations to come.
