FOUR STUDENTS RECEIVE UP TO $40,000
Rick Hansen Foundation Announces 2026/2027 Recipients of the Rick and Amanda Hansen Scholarship for Youth with Disabilities

The Rick Hansen Foundation is proud to announce the 2026-27 recipients of the Rick and Amanda Hansen Scholarship for Youth with Disabilities. Now in its third year, the scholarship, generously funded by the April 1 Foundation, provides financial support to Canadian youth with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education.

This year's four recipients are pursuing studies spanning engineering, business and disability studies, with career aspirations in engineering physics, accessibility, social entrepreneurship and psychiatry. Beyond their academic achievements, Christene Ntiri, Alicia Chenier, RJ Chandrasekar and Mahek Rahman have already demonstrated a commitment to creating change through disability advocacy, accessibility initiatives, community leadership, mentorship, fundraising and support for others.

"Christene, Alicia, RJ and Mahek remind us what is possible when young people have the opportunity to pursue their goals and bring their talents and lived experiences to the world," said Rick Hansen, Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation. "Each of them is already making a difference in their communities through leadership, advocacy and a commitment to helping others. Amanda and I are incredibly proud to recognize them and excited to see where their education and determination take them next."

Recipients are selected based on their alignment with Rick and Amanda Hansen's values of perseverance, inclusivity and being a difference maker, as well as their academic and career goals and financial need. Each recipient will receive up to $10,000 per year, for up to four years, to a maximum of $40,000. The scholarship is open annually to youth with disabilities under the age of 30 years as of the application deadline who are completing a 1- to 4-year post-secondary program at a publicly funded institution in Canada.

Established in 2024, the scholarship reflects Rick and Amanda Hansen's belief that supporting the education and leadership of young people with disabilities is essential to building a future where everyone can thrive. By removing financial barriers, it invests in the next generation of difference makers - leaders who are already positively changing their communities.

The 2026/2027 Rick and Amanda Hansen Scholarship for Youth with Disabilities recipients are:

Christene Ntiri Brampton, Ontario

Christene Ntiri will begin a Bachelor of Engineering co-op program at McMaster University this fall, with the goal of becoming an engineering physicist. Living with Sickle Cell Disease, Christene maintained honour roll standing while navigating hospitalizations and became a strong advocate for disability awareness. She co-founded her high school's Disability Awareness Club and served for three years on the SickKids Patient Council, representing the perspectives of youth living with Sickle Cell Disease.

Alicia Chenier Sudbury, Ontario

Alicia Chenier is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Disability Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University while building on years of accessibility advocacy. A blind accessibility consultant, Alicia has advocated for accessible transit and airport access, led accessibility walkthroughs for businesses and spoken with filmmakers about authentic disability representation. Despite a new brain tumour diagnosis during the winter 2026 semester, Alicia successfully completed her courses and continues working toward a career in accessibility consulting or disability studies.

RJ Chandrasekar Mississauga, Ontario

RJ Chandrasekar will begin a Bachelor of Business Administration at York University's Schulich School of Business this fall. Living with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, RJ has combined academic achievement with disability advocacy, fundraising and innovation. He raised $10,000 for rare bone disease research and co-designed an assistive mobility exosuit using robotics and 3D printing. RJ hopes to become a social entrepreneur creating scalable tools that increase independence for people with disabilities.

Mahek Rahman St. Catharines, Ontario

Mahek Rahman will begin McMaster University's Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences program this fall, with the long-term goal of becoming a psychiatrist. Living with ADHD, Mahek has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and mentorship, founding her high school's Muslim Student Association and helping welcome new students as a JUMP Mentor Co-Leader. She also virtually tutors six girls in Bangladesh, helping them pursue their own academic goals and opportunities.

Applications will re-open for the 2027/2028 academic year in March 2027. For more information about the scholarship including eligibility criteria visit www.RickHansen.com/ Scholarship.

3 About Youth with Disabilities in Canada:

In 2022, 20% of youth had a disability, an increase of 7 percentage points over 2017, when the disability rate was 13%. Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, December 2023. People living with disabilities are less likely to report completing higher levels of education compared to those living disability free. One-in-four (24%) say they graduated university, compared to 32% of those without disabilities. Angus Reid, Canadians concerned about disability poverty, on-board with proposed new national benefit, 2021.