Foundation to Provide Transformational Training & Up to J$8M in Scholarships
Application is now open for the 2019/2020 JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation scholarship programme. For the upcoming academic year, the Foundation is expected to give up to J$8M in scholarships to mainly tertiary students.
Financial assistance will also be given to students at the primary and secondary level, on a case-by-case basis.
The Foundation, will award scholarships to individuals who are: financially challenged; well-rounded, as evidenced by their involvement in extra-curricular activities or voluntary work done in their schools/communities; and demonstrate satisfactory academic performance. Each scholarship will cover the cost of tuition, books and/or other school-related expenses. Persons who intend to pursue studies in the upcoming academic year, or are currently enrolled in any degree programme at local tertiary institutions, with the exception of: medical sciences, dentistry, architecture, engineering and law, are invited to apply for a scholarship.
“Although the scholarship is aimed at bridging the financial gap for many ordinary Jamaicans, who would otherwise be challenged to afford university, it is more than providing financing,” said the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation chairman, Patricia Sutherland. In sharing the objective of the scholarship programme, she notes, “The programme is aimed at positively impacting lives and transforming individuals so that they can unearth their greatness, and help others to see the greatness in themselves. We are proud that over the years, we have been able to assist hundreds of individuals and cause a ripple effect in their lives. We have scholarship recipients who are the first in their families to graduate from university, thereby giving hope to their siblings that challenges are surmountable. We have also seen students who were on the verge of becoming high school drop-outs, because of a lack of funding, go on to receive the prestigious UWI open scholarship and qualify for other international scholarships, to pursue further studies.”
In keeping within the vein of the scholarship programme, a holistic approach is taken by the Foundation; whereby all scholarship recipients are exposed to transformational training, led by a trained facilitator. This transformational training workshop explores: self-awareness; reflection paradigm-shifting; critical-thinking; and visioning, among other areas. Sutherland shared, “through the workshop, the Foundation is able to share tools with the recipients so that they can be empowered to achieve their dreams; enabling them to live more powerful lives and unlock their true potential.”
To apply for the Foundation’s scholarship programme, individuals must complete the online application form, which can be accessed on its website at, http://www.joanduncanfoundation.org/scholarships-and-educational-grants. The application period ends on May 31, 2019.
Funding Education: The JMMB Group Response
In response to the ongoing challenges in funding education, especially at the tertiary level, JMMB Group has signaled its commitment to this area by rolling - out several initiatives, including: introducing a special postgraduate loan offer with the Mona School of Business & Management (MSBM); increasing the amount allocated to its scholarship programme annually and the establishment of endowments at the two major universities – The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech). As a part of its mandate, the Foundation remains committed to the development of youth, through education, as a vehicle for transformation and advancement.