CCRIF SPC Announces Scholarships for 2023/24
On November 7, at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in Jamaica, CCRIF SPC announced the award of 11 scholarships totalling US$80,000 for students pursuing postgraduate and undergraduate studies in areas related to comprehensive disaster risk management (CDRM) for academic year 2023/24 at Caribbean universities.
Programme Update
Since the inception of the CCRIF SPC Scholarship Programme in 2010, CCRIC has provided 176 scholarships totaling US$1.8 million to Caribbean nationals for study at regional and national universities in the Caribbean, as well as universities in the USA and the UK.
Celebrating Success
The award ceremony represented a celebration of scholarship and success and was a testament to the role that CCRIF is playing in investing in and nurturing a talent pool of youth in the areas of CDRM.
Keynote Remarks
CCRIF Board Member, Saundra Bailey, in her remarks, said, "To our scholars, congratulations. We are proud of the decisions we have made in choosing you as CCRIF scholars. You are our future and the future we want is based on the decisions we make today. Use this opportunity to define your success and shape your future and that of your country and be an agent of change."
Representatives in Attendance
Also in attendance were representatives of The University of the West Indies, with which CCRIF SPC has had a partnership since 2010. These included among others: Ms. Sandrea Maynard, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Office of Global Affairs; Dr. Maurice Smith, University Registrar; Prof. Aldrie Henry-Lee, Pro Vice-Chancellor Postgraduate Studies; Prof. Michael Taylor, Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology; Dr. David McBean, Director of the Mona School of Business and Management, among others. Professors of the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), including Prof. Carol Archer, the Graduate Centre Coordinator for the Faculty of the Built Environment, also attended the event, as UTech also has a student receiving an award this year.
Scholarship Recipients
The recipients of the CCRIF postgraduate and undergraduate scholarships for 2023 are as follows:
Postgraduate Scholarships at The University of the West Indies
- Patrick Burke (Jamaican) – M.Sc. Enterprise Risk Management
- Toni Ann Hendricks (Jamaican) – MPhil Environmental Management
- La Ferne Henry (Jamaican) – M.Sc. Enterprise Risk Management
- Fayola Thompson (Trinidadian) – MPhil Seismology
- Ameika Turner (Jamaican) – M.Sc. Natural Resource Management
- Postgraduate scholarship at the University of Technology, Jamaica
- Natola Watt (Jamaican) – M.Sc. Built Environment
Undergraduate Scholarships at The University of the West Indies
- Jabari Aberdeen-Mc Kell (Trinidadian) – B.Sc. Geology, Minor in Renewable Energy
- Yasser Charaf (Belizean) – B.Sc. Civil Engineering
- Rhyana Dupigny (Barbadian) – B.Sc. Environmental Science
- Adam Loutan (Trinidadian) – B.Sc. Geography and Environmental and Natural Resource
- Malakai Williams (Jamaican) – B.Sc. Geology
Availability of Scholarships
The CCRIF undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship programmes are available to all CARICOM and CCRIF member countries in the Caribbean.
Patrick Burke’s Story
One of the recipients of a postgraduate award, Patrick Burke, a former ward of the state had this to say about his accomplishment: “For me the route to getting a bachelor’s
degree has not been an easy one or a direct route. I have been a ward of the state for 17 years and as such the journey was difficult and sometimes unbearable. Being faced with
disdain, ridicule, and stigma became a norm for wards, and this affected me throughout high school and university. The reality is that being in a boys’ home was a constant battle,
mentally, physically and emotionally – especially because education was never viewed as an important subject. However, I did not allow what I went through to affect my futuristic goal.”
Conclusion
CCRIF congratulates its 2023/24 scholarship recipients and looks forward to their contributions to advancing the sustainability agenda of the region.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the eligibility criteria for the scholarships?
CCRIF undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship programmes are available to all CARICOM and CCRIF member countries in the Caribbean.
How can I apply for the scholarships?
Applications for the 2024 scholarships are now open and persons can visit the CCRIF website to apply at: https://www.ccrif.org/ccrif-uwi-scholarships (undergraduate) or https://www.ccrif.org/scholarship (postgraduate).
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