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2026 ESPEI Sunlife Workplace Readiness Mentorship Scholarship now open

Easter Seals PEI is pleased to partner with Sun Life to offer a $2,000 scholarship to a student in Prince Edward Island who is currently enrolled in post-secondary education.

Applicants must currently be enrolled in a program that began in Winter 2026 or will be starting in Fall 2026. The scholarship is intended for any person with a physical disability who is currently enrolled in or pursuing post-secondary education. The objective of the scholarship is to help reduce financial barriers for the student as they progress and work towards completing their post-secondary education and assist them in preparing for a successful transition into the workforce. The scholarship recipient must also agree to participate in a nine-month mentorship program from September to the end of May 2027, where they will be paired with a volunteer mentor who can provide encouragement, guidance, and support for their studies and in preparing for summer jobs and/or transition to the labour force after graduation. The scholarship recipient must be a resident of PEI. Here is the link to the application form:

 

 

Meet our two scholarship recipients from 2025

Jennay Randall, UPEI Sociology Student

Charlottetown’s Jennay Randall is one of this year’s 2025/26 Easter Seals PEI Scholarship recipients.

Jennay says receiving the Workplace Readiness Scholarship, funded by Sun Life Canada, has already given her renewed confidence.

She is an independent adult pursuing a degree in Sociology and has been living on her own since she was 17. Despite instability in her early life and having been diagnosed with ADHD and CPTSD, Jennay says she has taken full advantage of the mentorship program provided by Sunlife.

“Having someone to talk to and encourage me has significantly impacted my career, as I recently interviewed and accepted a position at a local car dealership, Hillside Chevrolet, while pursuing my studies. This scholarship means the world to me.”

Jennay says her academic work in Sociology fuels her passion for understanding people and creating meaningful change in her community, and someday hopes to become a social worker to help young people believe in themselves. Congratulations Jennay!

Meet Ava Allain, UPEI Kinesiology Student

We are pleased to announce that Summerside’s Ava Allain is one of this year’s 2025/2026 Easter Seals Workplace Readiness Sunlife Scholarship recipients.
Ava is a second-year student of UPEI’s Kinesiology Program and was recently diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety, and says her oldest brother is the reason she wants to become an Occupational Therapist.
“I know firsthand the impact on a family when caring for someone with a disability, as my oldest brother has severe cerebral palsy and needs help 24/7.”
Ava is enjoying the mentorship aspect of the scholarship, as she meets monthly with her mentor, getting guidance on her career goals. Her long-term goal is to open her own clinic someday.
Ava is thankful for this scholarship that will allow her to focus on her studies. Congratulations Ava!

2024/25 Sunlife Scholarship Recipients

Holly MacDonald is the new Easter Seals PEI $2,000 Scholarship Recipient

Holly MacDonald is PEI’s recipient of the 2024/25 Easter Seals Workplace Readiness $2,000 Scholarship, funded by Sun Life Canada. Holly is from Summerside and a second-year student of UPEI’s Bachelor of Music Education. Holly was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Grade 12 and says her recent diagnosis is helping her studies and plans for the future.
“I have embraced my diagnosis and am proud to say I am making wonderful progress as a musician with hopes to one day practice music therapy as my career,” says Holly.
She has recently needed surgeries on her Achilles tendons which is a common condition with this diagnosis. Holly is thankful this scholarship will allow her to focus on her studies and healing. Congratulations Holly!

Meet Marie-Pier Thibault-Messier who was the 2023/24 Easter Seals PEI Scholarship Recipient

Marie-Pier Thibault-Messier says receiving the Easter Seals Workplace Readiness $2,000 Scholarship, funded by Sunlife Canada has been pivotal in her nursing education journey. She is a 3rd-year student in the accelerated UPEI nursing program and presently doing a clinical rotation in Unit 4 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.
“This scholarship has alleviated financial pressures and empowered me to focus on my studies and clinical practice. For differently-abled students like myself, such support is transformative and has allowed me to access necessary resources, accommodations, and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.”
Thibault-Messier, who has had scoliosis complications since childhood, spoke about her positive experience with her Sun Life mentor, Melanie Kaposky. She emphasized that having someone to encourage her has significantly impacted her nursing career.

Help us reach our goal of an additional $70,000 raised in 2026!

Your donation enables us to help support hard-working organizations on PEI working with Islanders of all ages who are living with disabilities. Your generosity fuels our mission to create real opportunities and lasting impact.

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