Case Students Receive Scholarships

Scores of students attending the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) received scholarships from the institution’s local Alumni Association and the Ole Farmers Association, North America (OFANA), on Saturday (January 27).

The scholarships were handed out during day two of the annual Founders’ Weekend celebrations at the Portland-based school and will go towards the tuition of the students.

CASE President, Dr. Derrick Deslandes, welcomed the assistance noting that currently, the college is home to some 900-1100 pupils who are all maintained by the institution through self-sufficient means.

“CASE is the only institution currently that provides students with three meals a day, Monday to Friday, and two meals a day on weekends. When you pay your school fee at CASE, that is it for the rest of the year,” Dr. Deslandes said.

He thanked all donors and partners who continue to support the school and committed that CASE is being repositioned by using new approaches, incorporating technology, and through research, to make a significant mark on the agricultural sector.

For her part, OFANA President and proud past student of CASE, Norma Jarrett, revealed that the organization distributed US$25,500 to 33 well-deserved students on Saturday.

This created an accumulative student impact of 141 students and a total of US$145,500 or $22.6 million in scholarships provided by OFANA to CASE students.

She urged the students to make good use of these opportunities and to tender their applications within good time.

“It is important that you make sure that you apply for these scholarships. You cannot wait until your final semester…you need to prepare ahead of time. The money is there, we work tirelessly. My OFANA members are invested in this institution, you don’t go to college and have free food (and) three meals a day and walk away from the institution without returning the favour to (others),” Mrs. Jarrett said.

She further implored the students to become valued members of their campus community, by being involved in community service to better their chances at being selected for scholarships.

In addition, having a high-Grade Point Average (GPA) is also important, the President underscored.

Founders’ Weekend at CASE is used as an opportunity for past and present students of the institution to honour the tremendous efforts, grit, and fortitude of founding fathers Sir Sydney Olivier, the Right Reverend Enos Nuttall and Mr. Herbert Henry Cousins.

These efforts resulted in the opening of the doors of the first predecessor institution, the Government Farm School on January 25, 1910.

CASE, over its incredible history and through various predecessors, is currently celebrating 114 years of existence.