$80,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Students of Jamaican Heritage at Howard University

Twenty students of Jamaican heritage, who are attending Howard University in the United States (US) have been selected for scholarships valued at $80,000 by the Jamaican Howard University Affinity Network (JHUAN).

The recipients, who will each receive US$4,000, are Aaliyah Anderson, Kathy Bedasse, Damario Berry, Nazarah Bridgewater, Gabrielle Clarke, Sarah Cole, Alrick Davis, Yashieka Fearon, Aliyah Hamilton, Paul Jones, Lori-Ann Knight, Huonna McCarthy, Danielle McIntosh, Ashley Medley, Shamona Morris, Jade Mullings, Tabitha Norton, Naila Scott, Lori-Lee Stennett and Amanda Wright.

They will be recognised at the organisation’s annual fundraising event ‘HUes of Blue’ on September 16.

The event will be hosted by Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey P. Marks, who has been a leading advocate of the scholarship programme since its inception.

JHUAN was born out of the vision of Howard University’s 17th President, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick and Ambassador Marks to enhance support for Jamaican students.

The primary intent of the scholarship is to bolster the trajectory of Jamaican students at Howard, granting them broader access and opportunities.

“As an alumnus, who has benefited greatly from Howard University, it is important that we look for ways to support our academic institutions and pay it forward,” said the organisation’s funding chairman, Don Christian.

“As JHUAN continues to grow its financial support and broaden its impact, I am honored as a Howard alumnus to support our Jamaican students who have navigated significant challenges to be able to pursue their studies at Howard,” he added.

Since the launch of the scholarship programme in 2018, a total of 64 awards have been made totalling $254,000.

In 2023, scholarship applications increased by 50 per cent while fundraising has grown at an average of 36 per cent annually, demonstrating the critical need for increased financial support.

The scholarships are awarded to Jamaican-born students or those of Jamaican parentage with a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and enrolled full-time at Howard University.

JHUAN’s goal is to raise significant funds at the upcoming HUes of Blue fundraising event to be able to impact more lives.

“Through scholarships, students will be able to ease the financial burden and focus more on academics,” said JHUAN Scholarship and Mentorship Committee Chair, Joanita Ricketts.

He noted that in addition to scholarships, JHUAN offers mentorships, workshops and webinars covering areas such as financial literacy and career planning.

“We hope that early exposure will help students gain a better appreciation for life after college and empower them to be better positioned for career success,” Ms. Ricketts said.