Eight Scholarships Awarded through the 2025 AEBC/Allyant Scholarship Program

Recognizing future leaders committed to accessibility, advocacy, and academic achievement

CANADA, August 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), in partnership with Allyant and generous donors, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 AEBC/Allyant Scholarship Program. Eight students from across the country have been selected for their academic excellence, leadership, and dedication to advancing equity and inclusion.

This year’s awards include three named scholarships honouring individuals who left a lasting mark on the AEBC community: the Tom Teranishi Memorial Scholarship, the John Rae Memorial Scholarship, and the Betty Nobel Scholarship.

Tom Teranishi Memorial Scholarship – Aidan Gibbons

Sponsored by AEBC’s BC Affiliate, this award recognizes Aidan Gibbons, a 19-year-old student pursuing business management degrees at UBC. Aidan is the Co-founder and Executive Director of INSPIRED 2 UPLIFT, a youth-led nonprofit supporting students with disabilities in Canada and the U.S. His work promotes inclusive school environments and empowers youth through leadership and advocacy.

John Rae Memorial Scholarship – Margot Wehrle

Awarded from a legacy gift, this scholarship recognizes Margot Wehrle, a twelfth-grade student who will be attending the University of Victoria in the fall. Margot is a singer-songwriter, para-triathlete, and academic with aspirations to become a psychologist. She is a strong advocate for equality across many fields and channels her experience as a blind student into advocacy and creative expression.

Betty Nobel Scholarship – Mitch Brian Kidd

Presented by the BC Affiliate in honour of long-time educator and advocate Betty Nobel, this scholarship award goes to Mitch Brian Kidd of Vancouver Island. Mitch is enrolled in the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program and works at the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind. With a passion for teaching, Mitch uses technology and creative tools to support others while exploring new ways to access visual content independently.

Allyant Scholarship – Marie-Ève Létourneau

Allyant has continued its 14-year tradition of supporting blind and partially sighted students with a scholarship, awarded this year to Marie-Ève Létourneau. She is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Living with a degenerative retinal condition, Marie-Ève combines academic excellence with deep community involvement and aims to build a career grounded in empathy, trauma-informed care, and inclusion.

AEBC Donor Scholarships – Ibrahim Yousif, Taha Al-Hammadi, Aidan Lapp, and Renuka Jantz

Thanks to the continued support of an anonymous donor, four additional scholarships were awarded:
• Ibrahim Yousif (University of Winnipeg) is studying Psychology and brings lived experience as a Sudanese immigrant and advocate for blind newcomers.
• Taha Al-Hammadi (Algonquin College) is a visually impaired developer focused on accessible web design, with roots in Yemen and Turkey.
• Aidan Lapp (MacEwan University) is a Political Science major with interests in international security, currently leading student diplomacy initiatives.
• Renuka Jantz (NorQuest College) is a mature student and accessibility advocate focused on building inclusive environments for students with disabilities.

“These students represent the future of accessibility and leadership in Canada,” said Marcia Yale and Betty Nobel, Co-Chairs of AEBC’s Scholarship Committee. “Their achievements and advocacy show us what’s possible when barriers are removed and voices are heard.”

The AEBC/Allyant Scholarship Program is made possible through the support of donors, sponsors, and community partners who believe in education as a tool for empowerment.

Marcia Yale, Scholarship Committee Co-Chair
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
+1 800-561-4774
scholarship@blindcanadians.ca
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