Ontario region switcher

Notice

For content relevant to your community in Ontario, Please select your region

Testimonials from CNIB Scholarship Recipients

Meet CNIB Scholarship recipients and discover how scholarships, bursaries and other external awards can help support your educational and professional aspirations.

Zachary, a young man with long brown hair, smiles while standing next to the university of Calgary's fluffy red dinosaur mascot, Rex. Zach is wearing a blue sweatshirt, sweatpants, a hat, and holds his white cane.

How CNIB Scholarships helped support my post-secondary education

A recipient of both the Ben McConnell and KPMG Bursaries, Zachary Abdalla is a student at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. 
Laura, a young woman with blonde hair, smiles while standing in front of a lush green garden with palm trees and shrubs. She is wearing a light blue sundress.

Scholarship recipient spotlight: Meet Laura

Laura Merica is a student at Queen’s University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences and a Bachelor of Education with a minor in French Studies. As the recipient of the McDonald-Doran and CNIB Scholarships in 2024, Laura is committed to making a difference in education and science. 
Adian, a young man with white hair, stands in-front of a home office/computer workstation. Aidan wears glasses and a brown t-shirt with jeans. He is smiling and standing with his hands clasped together.

Empowered by technology: Meet Aidan

“My biggest expense going into university was for assistive technology, something that other scholarships do not prioritize as they tend to focus primarily on direct educational costs, like tuition,” says Aidan. “I knew CNIB would understand this need, and their scholarship application process was quite straightforward. I just had to upload documents online and answer a few questions.”
Kaitlynn, a young woman with brown hair, smiles and poses for a selfie-style photograph. Kaitlynn has dark brown hair and is wearing grey t-shirt.

Scholarship Success: Meet Kaitlynn

In 2023, Kaitlynn was awarded a $3,000 CNIB scholarship and used the funds to purchase accessible technology and software, including a Victor Reader Stream – a handheld digital audio player (with a $595 price tag) that she uses to read books, course materials, and other online resources. “It's because of the CNIB scholarship that I'm able to have the technology and software that I need to thrive as a student,” says Kaitlynn.
Acacia, a young woman with white hair, smiles and poses for a selfie-style photograph. She is wearing headphones over her ears and a long grey sweatshirt.

Scholarship recipient spotlight: Acacia

While adjusting to university life was “a big change,” the $3,000 scholarship she received from CNIB enabled Acacia to concentrate on her studies. She used the funds to pay for residence and living expenses, like groceries. The financial support also allowed her to dedicate her first semester entirely to adjusting to university life without having to work part-time. 
Nico, a young man with brown hair, smiles and poses for a selfie-style photograph. He is wearing a taupe sweater.

My scholarship experience – Niko Bauer 

By: Niko Bauer 

University is a massive obligation, and you’re stressed at the outset because you don’t know how you’ll pay for it on top of hours of studying and learning. The support of a scholarship goes so far beyond a dollar amount. It’s so relieving to know you have that kickstart to get going. It’s super beneficial. I’m paying for my school with a mixture of working and taking a gap year, but it’s not quite enough. I applied for scholarships all over and figured this [CNIB scholarship] was an area where I’d have more access and opportunity to receive a scholarship. 

Six colourful stuffed animal Llamas, created by Jaclyn. The llamas have tactile elements like button eyes.

Sewing in the Dark with Jaclyn Pope

Jaclyn Pope is determined to not let COVID-19 railroad her education and professional ambitions as she expands her online business, Sewing in the Dark. When a sewing course at Durham College was cancelled due to the pandemic, Jaclyn, 39, viewed it as an opportunity to reconsider her educational plans.

“I started to think about other things that I could learn that would ultimately help my business and help me achieve my goals,” says Jaclyn. “I realized one of the ways I can promote my business is to have a website, but I didn't want to pay someone to create a website for me. Because I like to have control, I decided to learn how to build my own.”
Tate, a young man with brown hair, poses for a selfie-style photograph. He is wearing a black t-shirt and is smiling.

Congratulating Tait

“I knew CNIB Scholarships existed, but I never really thought of myself as someone who could get a scholarship because, frankly, my grades are not stellar,” says Tait. “But the scholarship application said they were looking for someone who likes to do things outside the box. It wasn't just about academics and grades, so I took a chance and applied.”