UTech Sudents Awarded Cyril Matherson Scholarship

Alrick Cunningham and Chaplin Williams, two final year students at the University of Technology (UTech) have been awarded the Cyril David Matherson scholarship for the 2004/05 academic period. The duo was presented with the award at a presentation ceremony at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston on November 21.
The scholarship is named in honour of the late Cyril Matherson, who was a builder by profession and one of the first four deacons of the Boulevard Baptist Church.
Mr. Matherson was instrumental in the building of the Church’s chapel and also in the construction of the first church buildings, now the Luther Gibbs Educational Centre. At his death in 1993, the Boulevard Baptist Church took a decision to grant a scholarship in his memory, and this came into effect in 1994.
Scholarship Coordinator at UTech, Dottie Higgins told JIS News that the scholarship was not restricted to membership of the Baptist Church but was open to all final-year students in the School of Building and Land Management and the Caribbean School of Architecture.
Outlining the criteria for award, Mrs. Higgins said: “we look at academic performance (which is 40 per cent of the rating), personal needs (that accounts for 30 per cent), extra curricular activities (15 per cent), and performance at the interview (15 per cent).”
She pointed out that both Cunningham and Williams “were very good all round, had high academic scores, and their need level was high. They were involved in extra curricular activities and performed well at the interview.so they were good in all aspects”.
She said the panel making the final call was comprised of herself, two persons from Boulevard Baptist; and a representative from the school.Mrs. Higgins informed that Cunningham and Williams, who were studying urban and regional planning, both intended to seek employment in the building field upon completing their education.