Students Receive Gordon Shirley Book Scholarships

Four students of Jamaican heritage, who are attending universities in Washington D.C., are the first recipients of the ‘Gordon Shirley Book Scholarship’, in honour of former Ambassador to the United States, Professor Gordon Shirley.
The awards, valued at US $500 each, were presented by the Jamaican Nationals Association at its annual student reception and book scholarship award ceremony held on October 13 in Washington D.C.
The recipients are Jodian Chamber of Georgetown University; Onika Marsh and Roxann Wellington of Montgomery College; and Amoy Williams of the University of the District of Columbia.
In making the presentation, President of the Jamaican Nationals Association, Moreen Wallace, said the award is in recognition of Professor Shirley’s advocacy, commitment, and outstanding contribution to the Diaspora and his support for students of Jamaican heritage, in their quest to further their education.
Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Patrick Robinson, who delivered the keynote address at the function, said that the awardees are shining examples of the country’s potential for greatness.
He reminded them that they are from a great country of rich heritage and culture, “of which you can justifiably be proud”.
“You are from a small state, but one which is big in its profile on the world stage, big in the international status it has achieved in literature, science, music, law, sports, especially athletics, and so many other areas,” he pointed out.
Judge Robinson urged the students to return to their homeland and to give of their expertise. Jamaica has contributed to the education and training of hundreds, if not thousands of skilled personnel in medicine, nursing, law, engineering, dentistry, accountancy and many other areas, only to lose their services to other countries,” he said.
In her remarks, Charge de’Affaires at the Embassy in Washington, Sharon Miller, commended the Jamaican National Association for launching the scholarship in honour of Professor Shirley, whom she noted, is a stellar educator.
Mrs. Miller pointed out that the development of Jamaica is contingent on the human resources “and so we are happy to have Jamaican students studying in the United States and encourage them to return to their homeland to give of your expertise”.
The Jamaican Nationals Association was founded in 1968 by a number of prominent Jamaican students, who attended Howard University, with the aim of providing assistance for students studying in Washington.