CNIB awarded $128,000 in funding to people who are blind or partially sighted in recognition of their educational and professional aspirations and achievements.
“We know that education drives
employment outcomes for people who are blind or partially sighted and CNIB’s
Scholarship program aims to help remove some of the financial barriers
associated with pursuing education,” says April Assenza, Executive Business
Partner and Lead, Operations and Special Events, CNIB. “Our scholarship program
is diverse in scope as recipients can be pursuing any type of post-secondary
education – whether that be a diploma, degree, skilled trades or apprenticeship
certification, or continuing education courses. We’re pleased to announce that
in 2021, 46 Canadians with sight loss received various scholarships, awards and
bursaries through our scholarship program.”
Barney Danson Scholarship
Created in honour of Barney Danson,
partially sighted veteran, MP, cabinet minister, consul general, businessperson
and philanthropist, this scholarship honours students who have proven their
dedication to success through academic, personal and charitable endeavours in
spite of sight loss.
Recipient: Alexandra Dalcourt, N.B.
Ben McConnell Scholarship
Started in memory of Ben McConnell, the
scholarship is given to a student with sight loss from Alberta registered or
accepted into any year of post-secondary program.
Recipient: Logan Farr, Alta.
CNIB Post-Secondary Scholarship Recipients
Awarded to students who are blind or
partially sighted and who demonstrate amazing courage, determination and
passion in fighting for their independence and future.
Recipients:
Hooriya Amjad, Alta.
Jill Baker, N.L.
Adam Brown, Ont.
Quinn Cepli, Alta.
Linus Chen, B.C.
Gabrielle Close, N.S.
Ethan Cook, Ont.
Gregory Doucet, Ont.
Jay Egbo, Ont.
Noah Feser, Alta.
Calvin Hendriks, Ont.
Laura Merica, Ont.
Megan Miller, Ont.
Owen Parkin, Ont.
Toan Phan, N.B.
Anton Sianchuk, N.B.
Abigail Sienko, B.C.
Connell Simkin-Watt, B.C.
Cory Strasbourg, Alta.
Joseph Zylak, Ont.
CNIB Master’s Scholarship Recipients
Awarded to students who are blind or
partially sighted and who are pursing post-graduate studies.
Recipients:
Hussain Kadhem, Ont.
Melanie Marsden, N.S.
Elsa Parsons, B.C.
Marla Roth, Alta.
Dr. John and Olive Pyper Scholarship
Established by the family of Dr. John
Pyper, a Stratford, Ont., ophthalmologist who extracted the first two human
eyes donated to the Eye Bank of Canada in 1955. The scholarship is given to a
student who is blind or partially sighted living in Southwestern Ontario
(Perth, Wellington, Oxford, Middlesex and Huron counties).
Recipient: Darwish Chahbar, Ont.
Eric and Mary Davidson Memorial Award
Established in 2021, the award
commemorates Eric Davidson – who lost his sight in the Halifax Explosion on
December 6, 1917 – and his wife Mary Zinck Davidson, who was also blind. The
couple embraced life with fortitude and humour and gave back to their
communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. This award is available to
an individual who requires financial assistance for tuition or to purchase a
piece of technology or equipment (such as work boots, tools, etc.) for their education,
an internship or employment. Applicants must be residents of Nova Scotia or
Prince Edward Island.
Recipients:
Gabrielle Close, N.S.
Glenda Stewart, N.S.
eSight Award
As part of the CNIB scholarship program,
eSight awards one student, who would benefit from eSight eyewear, with a
device. eSight is a life-changing device that enhances functional vision.
eSight users typically live with serious eye conditions such as macular
degeneration, Stargardt’s disease, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve hypoplasia
and more.
Recipient: Jaclyn Pope, Ont.
FJL Woodcock SAPA Scholarships
Established in 1989 in honour of Capt.
Fred Woodcock, a WWII war-blinded veteran. Families of veterans blinded in WWI,
WWII and the Korean War donated to encourage students with sight loss to pursue
post-secondary education and training.
Recipients:
Eric Albright, B.C.
Roxane Sophie David, N.B.
Eitel Houedakor, Que.
Bilal Issak,
Alta.
Grant Johnson, B.C.
Summer Phillips, Ont.
Kalilou Sy Savané, Que.
Ella Yu, B.C.
The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary
Bursaries awarded to young Canadian
students pursuing undergraduate studies. Recipients must demonstrate financial
need and resilience to overcome barriers.
Recipients:
Nour Al Ali, Ont.
Olivia Chippett, Ont.
Brandon Joy, N.L.
William Li, Alta.
Mya Lieb, N.L.
Cerenna-tee Racey, Ont.
Nalini Perera Little Lotus Bud Master’s
Scholarship
This scholarship aims to enable a
student to pursue a master’s degree at a Canadian university, while acquiring
knowledge, skills and experience through field research to be able to
transition to a career-furthering paid internship. Nalini Perera obtained an
intermediate certificate from the Royal Institute of British Architects, a B.A.
in architecture and planning and a M.A. in international relations. She is a
classical piano gold medalist and was awarded paid internships to the mayor’s
office in Manhattan and United Nations in New York. In mid-career, she
developed glaucoma and became legally blind. Her 37-year career with the Canadian
federal government included international travel.
Recipient: Danica Frappier, Ont.
The Sappani Foundation Ela Award
The Sappani Foundation strives to
inspire, educate, and empower, believing that education has the single largest
impact in our ability to transform lives of people from impoverished and
marginalized communities. This is the essence of their $5000 annual
scholarship, the ‘Ela Award’, to support post-secondary education for children
(primarily girls) who have sight loss, and are from the BIPOC (Black,
Indigenous, Person of Colour) population.
Recipient: Hodan Ahmed, Ont.
Click HERE for the full press release.
