Rachel Clarke and Nicolette Bailey are NCB Foundation’s National Scholars

Rachel Clarke and Nicolette Bailey are the 2016 National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation’s national scholars.

They have received scholarships valued at $500,000 each year towards their tuition, accommodation and other school-related expenses, and are required to maintain a certain Grade Point Average (GPA) as stipulated by the Foundation.

Hearty applause greeted the announcement last Thursday evening (August 18) at the NCB Foundation’s Scholarships and Grants Reveal Day and cocktail event, held at The Courtleigh Hotel & Suites in Kingston.

The two 19-year-olds topped a competition, which began with more than 7,000 tertiary applicants from across the island.

The field was reduced to 14 parish champions, from which the two emerged victorious. All parish champions have received $250,000 per annum in scholarship for the duration of their undergraduate studies.

Manager, Corporate Brand, Communications and Philanthropy at NCB, Belinda Williams, speaking at the reveal ceremony, said that as a result of the bank’s close relationship with the people in the communities it serves, it understands the circumstances that stymie the fulfilment of personal educational ambitions.

She noted that it is for this reason that NCB has committed itself to help improve the accessibility of education for Jamaicans through the Foundation.

“Over the years, the Foundation has prioritised the advancement of national education targets along with its own mandate to further nation building through community and youth development,” Ms. Williams said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, commended the bank for its continued dedication to education and nation building.

“NCB certainly is an exemplar of excellence in this regard, because Government is always going to be limited in terms of the number of resources that they have, and equally parents. We applaud this initiative and use it as a platform to encourage other corporate entities to come on board and help to fund our young people who exhibit the kind of excellence that I see here,” he said.

Both scholars expressed gratitude for the scholarship.  Miss Bailey, who hails from Clarendon and is a past student of DeCarteret College, in Manchester, was effusive in her praise.

“You did not just give me an opportunity; you gave a family, a community and I will say you gave this nation hope. This Foundation has been doing incredible work. I vow to make the very best use of this scholarship and maintain standards and go beyond what is expected,” she said.

Miss Clarke, who is from St. Thomas and is a past student of the Convent of Mercy Alpha Academy, thanked the NCB Foundation for the scholarship.

“You have given me this opportunity to realise my dream to better this nation. It does not matter what your circumstance is, or where you come from, or where you are; it matters where you want to go,” she said.

Several grants were also given to students by the Foundation which launched the scholarship programme in 2008. To date, more than 350 students have benefited annually from an average of $25 million. In the past eight years, in excess of $200 million has been used to fund the programme.