CNIB received many remarkable scholarship applications this year and awarded $142,000 in funding to 45 Canadians with sight loss in recognition of their educational and professional aspirations and achievements. Congratulations to the 2023/24 scholarship recipients and thank you to our generous donors who make this scholarship program possible. Their financial support will continue to help fuel the ambitions of students as they pursue their educational journeys.
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: Caelin Lloyd, N.S.
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: Renuka Jantz, 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:
Rohan Amjad, Alta.
Nikodemus Bauer, B.C.
Rashai Barnes, Ont.
Jalen Berg, B.C.
Kaitlynn Beston, Sask.
Alicia Chenier, Ont.
Acacia Cousins, B.C.
Jesse Farquharson, Ont.
Maggie Ingleson, Ont.
Zhicheng Lin, Ont.
Owen Macgowan, Ont.
Aidan Matyasovszky, Ont.
Megan Miller, Ont.
Gabriel Poirier, Que.
Anik Power, Ont.
Humera Sadiq, Man.
Minette Samaroo, Ont.
Samien Sarwar, N.W.T
Emma Sonnemann, Ont.
Kathryn Stringer, B.C.
CNIB Master's Scholarship Recipients
Awarded to students who are blind or partially sighted and who are pursing post-graduate studies.
Recipients:
Allison Lee, Que.
Brandon Schiafone, Ont.
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: Ethan Warren, 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:
Lyan Ahmed, Ont.
Bob Brown, Ont.
Maxwell Brown, Alta.
Ashton Campbell, B.C.
Calvin Hendriks, Ont.
Aidan Lapp, Alta.
Nikolas Ouimet, Que.
Emma Van Dyk, Ont.
The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary
The Joyce Family Foundation is dedicated to supporting the social, economic, and emotional well-being of children and youth by empowering them to develop into healthy, confident, independent contributors to Canadian society. This fund is made possible by a generous donation from The Joyce Family Foundation, which is committed to providing access to education for youth who face significant financial barriers and have demonstrated the ability to overcome obstacles and adversity. Recipients must commit to working with a mentor throughout their undergraduate studies.
Recipients:
Alessia Commisso, Ont.
Christel Oguchi, Alta.
Amir Mohammad Torshizi Ghorbani, Ont.
KPMG Scholarship
Established in 2022, the KPMG scholarship was created to help alleviate financial barriers, promote access and inclusivity, and ensure an equitable playing field to education for people who are blind or partially sighted. KPMG recognizes that workforce inclusion and diversity strengthens business, enriches our culture and enables us to deepen relationships with our colleagues and communities.
Recipients:
Alzan Amjad, Alta.
Samantha Benoit, N.S.
Aidan, Gibbons, B.C.
Zackary Harris, N.L.
Fernando Mendes, Ont.
Nikolas Ouimet, Que.
Nathan Thomas, Alta.
Joseph Zylak, Ont.
Dr. Phiroz N. Dastoor Memorial Scholarship
Established in 2022 by the family of Dr Phiroz N. Dastoor. Dr. Dastoor had a passion for education and believed that everyone should have equitable access to post-secondary opportunities. To commemorate and honour his love of education and spirit of volunteerism, his family is awarding one scholarship to a student with sight loss who is studying at a Canadian university and has demonstrated financial need.
Recipient: Elliot Gibson, 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: Humnah Tahir, Ont.
Terry Collins Memorial Scholarship Award
Established in 2023 by the family of Terry Collins. After losing his sight at 17, Terry Collins completed his post-secondary education and became the first non-sighted hospital darkroom technician in Canada, where he worked for 46 years. Beloved by all who knew him for his endless optimism, laughter and goodwill toward others, Terry was also a talented drummer and singer, spending much of his free time performing in bands. To commemorate and honour Terry Collins, his family has awarded a scholarship to a student with sight loss who is pursuing post-secondary studies in any area of music or the healthcare field.
Recipient: Elliot Gibson, Ont.