The 2015AEBC and T-Base Communications Scholarship Program
The 2015AEBC And
T-Base Communications
Scholarship Program
The application deadline for 2015 AEBC scholarship program is Friday, June 26th, 2015. All applications and supporting materials must have been received by AEBC on or before that date in order for your application to be considered.
1. Introduction
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) is a grassroots organization which, through education, empowerment, and advocacy, works to improve the lives of blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted Canadians.
Each year, the AEBC offers scholarships to recognize outstanding blind, deaf-blind, and partially sighted post-secondary school students. This year, we are pleased to offer three awards in total.
Jennifer Laura Eve Wilson Memorial Scholarships:
Two Jennifer Laura Eve Wilson Memorial Scholarships (worth $1,000 each) will be offered.
Jennifer was someone who was always selfless, always there for someone in need. She showed courage in overcoming adversity. She took the challenges life put her way from the complications of Type 1 diabetes including visual impairment, and rose above them by her courage, inner strength and determination to make the world a better place for others. These annual AEBC scholarships continue her tradition of helping others.
The T-Base Communications Scholarship:
The T-Base Communications scholarship program helps to fund the educational pursuits of an outstanding blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted student in Canada who is continuing his or her academic education at the post-secondary level.
The T-Base Communications Scholarship is designed to help students pursue their educational endeavors and is not limited to any one discipline. One T-Base Communications scholarship valued at $2,000 will be awarded for the 2015/2016academic year beginning in the fall semester of 2015.
2. Award Criteria
Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:
- Academic performance;
- Community involvement; and
- Overcoming adversity.
While each criterion will contribute in the overall evaluation process, equal weight will not be applied in determining a final score. Rather, each criterion will serve to assist in distinguishing the exceptionalities and strengths of one candidate from another in the awarding of scholarships.
The winner of the T-Base Communications scholarship is expected to participate in 2 ad-hoc advisory committee meetings on the topic of T-Base Communications’ educational services.
The Scholarship Committee is comprised of one AEBC member from the national executive and two regular members of the organization. This committee reviews all applications and selects the scholarship recipients.
In the case of the T-Base scholarship program, the top three applicants are identified to T-Base Communications and T-Base Communications makes the final decision.
Successful recipients will be notified of their selection by July 31st, 2015.
3. Applicant Qualifications
Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels (masters, doctorate, or post-doctorate),as well as students in college, vocational, educational upgrading, and performing arts programs, are welcome to apply.
Unless an applicant indicates otherwise, all applicants will be considered for each scholarship for which they are eligible. A separate application for each scholarship program is not required.
Previous applicants or recipients of AEBC scholarships are eligible to reapply if qualified.
To be eligible for this scholarship program, you must meet all of the following qualifications.
1. You must be blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted. For our purposes, you are considered to be “blind” if you have no vision or only light perception in the better of your two eyes, and “partially sighted” if you have a visual acuity of 20/60 or less (as measured on the Snellan eye chart) in your better eye with best correction, or if your visual field measures less than twenty degrees.
2. You must be studying (or planning to study) at a post-secondary institution in Canada. (Canadian citizens or permanent residents studying abroad under an exchange program and paying fees to a Canadian educational institution are eligible, as are students who choose to study abroad for lack of a similar program in Canada, failure to be accepted into a Canadian program, or the clear superiority of a program abroad.) You will be required to provide your social insurance number for income tax purposes if you receive a scholarship.
3. You must be attending (or planning to attend) a post-secondary program during the period between September 2015 and April 2016, on at least a part-time basis (i.e. taking the equivalent of at least two courses per semester).
4. Membership in AEBC
Scholarship applicants and recipients need not be members of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians. However, involvement in the organization is strongly encouraged, as we seek to gain a stronger voice in Canada, and membership benefits those who are blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted both collectively and individually.
A year's free membership to AEBC is part of each scholarship. This affords the winner an opportunity to learn about and participate in our organization.
5. Completing Your Application
A complete application is comprised of the following fiveitems. You may submit your application in either English or French. Please double check that your application is complete before submitting it. A complete application will include:
(a)The application form. You can find a blank copy of this form at the end of this package.
(b)A copy of your most recent transcript. This need not be an official copy – a printout from your school’s web site is acceptable. We may ask for an official copy at a later date.
(c)A one-page (500 word) personal statement: This is an opportunity for you to describe yourself, provide background on your visual condition (and any additional medical or disability information that may be relevant), your academic goals, interests, school and community activities, work experience, and so on. In writing this essay, you should try to answer the question: “What barriers or obstacles have you faced and conquered in your life (which may include financial hardship), as a result of your disability?” Please do not simply send a resume.
(d)A one-page (500 word) essay on ‘accessible education’: Tell us how accessibility in learning makes a difference in your education. Please let us know what format (print, large print, Braille, audio, etc.) is most important to you for your success as a student and why. NOTE: We can only know you through the information you give us. Please be thorough and complete.
(e)One letter of reference: You should include one current letter of reference (written in the last twelve months) from an individual who can comment in detail on your academic progress, personal strengths, community involvement, and any other aspects of your life that support your application. The individual may be an employer or supervisor, clergy member, academic advisor, department head academic planner, etc. If possible, this reference letter should be forwarded with your application package. If your reference would prefer to send it directly to AEBC, please ensure that they clearly indicate in their e-mail who they are writing on behalf of.
6. Submitting Your Application
The deadline for scholarship submissions is Friday, June 26th, 2015.
Each part of your application should be submitted as a separate electronic file, preferably in Microsoft Word (.DOC or .DOCX), Rich Text (.RTF), or plain text (.TXT) format. Some members of the scholarship committee are themselves blind, and picture files (.JPG, .GIF, .PNG, etc.) are not accessible. Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) files may or may not be accessible to users who are blind and so should be avoided if possible. (We understand, however, that some documents, such as your transcript, may only come in one format from your institution.)
Please attach all of these documents to an e-mail message and send them to:
Incomplete applications, as well as any applications (complete, incomplete, or parts of applications) received after June 26th, 2015will not be considered for scholarship awards.
The application form is contained on the following page.
The 2015AEBC And
T-Base Communications
Scholarship Application
To assist users who are blind, a caret indicator (^) has been provided next to each question in the application form. Please type your response after the caret (^).
Completed applications, along with supporting documents, should be e-mailed to no later than Friday, June 26th, 2015.
Part A: Your Information
First name: ^
Last name: ^
Mailing address (line 1, e.g. 1 Rodney Lane): ^
Mailing address (line 2, e.g. Apt. 224): ^
City: ^
Province: ^
Postal code: ^
Home telephone number: ^
Cellular/mobile telephone number: ^
Email address: ^
Your status in Canada (write ‘yes’ next to the appropriate choice):
(a) I am a Canadian citizen: ^
(b) I am a permanent resident: ^
(c) I am a foreign student studying at a Canadian institution: ^
Part B: Your Educational History
If you are not currently in school, please skip down to Part C, below.
Are you presently in school – yes or no? ^
If you are not in school, when did you last attend (year)? ^
If you are not in school, answer the following four questions based on your most recent educational experience.
The name of the educational institution I attend (or attended) is: ^
This institution is (or was) located in (city & province): ^
This institution is (or was) a … (High school? College? University? Describe it.): ^
Part C: Your Educational Plans for 2015-2016
Name of the institution: ^
This institution is located in (city & province): ^
This institution is a … (High school? College? University? Describe it.): ^
Program name (e.g. B.A. with a Major in English): ^
Will you be studying part-time (i.e. taking 2 courses per semester) -- yes or no? ^
Will you be studying full-time (i.e. taking 4 or more courses per semester) -- yes or no? ^
My career goal is to become a …: ^
Part D: Additional Information
How did you hear about this scholarship program? ^
By submitting your application, you are certifying that the information you have provided is correct and true to the best of your knowledge, that you (as the applicant) are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted, and that you meet all other eligibility criteria for the AEBC and T-Base Communications scholarship program. Additionally, if you are selected as a scholarship winner, you agree to have your name and other content related to the award featured in online properties such as AEBC and T-Base social media communities, websites, and possible participation in interview-style blog postings at the time of the award and throughout the 2015/2016 scholarship year.
Please indicate, by typing your first and last name, that you have read, understand, and agree with the above statement: ^
Date (day, month, year): ^
Please note: The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, accuracy, and security of any personal information that we collect, use, retain, and disclose in the course of the programs we offer. If you have any questions about protecting your personal privacy or our privacy policy, contact our Compliance Officer by calling (1-800-561-4774 or by e-mail at: .
WAIT ONE MOMENT. Have you confirmed that each of the documents (required to complete your application) will be included with your submission e-mail? Those documents include: (a) This application form; (b) Your transcript; (c) Your personal statement (maximum 500 words); (d) Your essay on ‘accessible education’ (maximum 500 words); and (e) Your letter of reference?
If all of this is in order, e-mail all of these documents to . We will do our best to acknowledge receipt within 48 hours. If you do not receive an acknowledgment of receipt, please e-mail or telephone us at 1-800-561-4774 to inquire as this may mean that your application did not arrive.
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