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Fatima H. Shousher Educational Award

Fatima Shousher (left), Ella Ibsen (center), and Tim Tegge, Executive Director (right), stand smiling and holding an oversized ceremonial check. Fatima is wearing glasses, a black cardigan, and a pink, blue, and white floral dress. Ella has shoulder-length light brown hair and is wearing a gray cardigan over a blue dress. Tim is bald and dressed in a pale yellow button-down shirt with brown trousers. The check is from the "Fatima H. Shousher Educational Fund" at The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, made out to Ella Ibsen for $500, dated July 1, 2025. Behind them is a colorful stained glass mural with stylized human figures and text reading “WE CAN DO SO MUCH TOGETHER.”
Fatima Shousher, 2025 Recipient Ella Ibsen, and Executive Director Tim Tegge.

In 2014, the Shousher family created the Fatima H. Shousher Educational Fund to honor Fatima H. Shousher—a trailblazing educator, advocate, and beacon of inspiration for students with low vision or blindness in Northwest Ohio. Born with a vision impairment and diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa as a teenager, Fatima refused to let vision loss define her future. She dedicated her life to teaching at Toledo Public Schools, spending most of her career at Rogers High School, where she tirelessly supported students with severe visual impairments. This annual $500 award recognizes an outstanding college student who is blind or visually impaired.

Award Criteria

Applicants must:

    • Be between 18 and 30 years old
    • Have a vision impairment with best corrected vision of 20/70 or worse in the better eye
    • Be a resident of Northwest Ohio
    • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 or above
    • Be enrolled in a higher education institution

2026 Dates & Deadlines

    • Application Process Opens: February 16, 2026
    • Application Deadline:  May 31, 2026
    • Award Announced: June 14, 2026
    • Award Presentation: Summer 2026

Apply Today

2026-Fatima-Shousher-Educational-Fund-Application-Fillable-FINAL

Questions

Complete and submit the form below, email info@sightcentertoledo.org, or call 419-720-3937 Ext. 3804.