23 St. James Tertiary Students Awarded $2.3M in Scholarships

Twenty-three tertiary-level students from St. James have been awarded scholarships totalling $2.3 million from the Mayor’s Charity Fund.

Each student received $100,000 towards their studies during a handover ceremony held at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in Sam Sharpe Square, St. James, on September 8.

Of the 23 recipients, 21 are pursuing bachelor’s degrees while two are enrolled in associate degree programmes. They include students attending the University of the West Indies (UWI); University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica; University College of the Caribbean (UCC); GC Foster College; Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College and Norman Manley Law School.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, said the investment in tertiary education is important to Jamaica’s productivity, as the country requires a more highly skilled workforce to drive economic growth.

He expressed gratitude to the sponsors, including Ward’s Power Tools, Oxford Trading Jamaica Limited and Hall’s Investment Ltd, noting that their contributions make it possible for more students to continue their studies.

Among the recipients is Taraji Baker, a second-year law student at UWI, Mona, who previously served as a junior councillor.

Taraji said that the scholarship will “take the financial burden off my family so that I can properly do what is required of me in the future, which is becoming a successful lawyer and bettering our society”.

His mother, Shalara Carey, said that despite the challenges of being a single parent after Taraji’s father’s passing, his dedication to his studies has filled her with pride.

“It was not easy. It has been a journey but I must say God has been real,” she said. “There has never been a moment that I can say I have not been proud of him. I am trying my best to be calm but I am extremely excited [for him],” she said.

For Alexia Dixon, a final-year student pursuing her Nurse Anaesthesia programme at UTech, the scholarship comes at a critical point in her academic journey.

She said it will help her meet the cost of completing the programme and achieve her career goal.
Alexia said she was raised with the belief that education could provide a pathway to a better life.

She expressed gratitude to Mayor Vernon and encouraged students facing challenges to remain persistent and focus on their goals.

“Just push through… do it for the little girl in you, the little boy in you, who just knows where they want to be,” said Ms. Dixon.

Over the past two years approximately $6 million has been distributed to students through the Mayor’s Charity Fund.