NCB Foundation increases scholarship awards

Kaymian Weekley, Gleaner Writer

Jamaican students are set to benefit from the National Commercial Bank (NCB), Foundation's more-than-$23-million scholarship fund.

This figure marks a 21.3 per cent increase over last year's $14-million allocation.

The scholarship and grants will be awarded to students from all academic levels and institutions shortlisted, following their online application submitted before June 17, 2011.

The scholarship programme was established because the Foundation saw a need to help students who excel academically, but may not have any or all the resources to pursue their interests.

"We believe in building Jamaica and we are committed to assisting young people in getting an education," said NCB Foun-dation Programmes Officer Bridgette Rhoden.

"We are excited to contribute to youth development because they face obstacles in acquiring their careers, and we recognise that these young people will eventually assist in nation building," added Rhoden.

The application process opened on May 2 and, to date, more than 1,000 students have applied. The applicants are from across the island.

experience

"There is a great need out there and we at the foundation are ready to help," said Rhoden.

Two previous awardees shared their experience.

"The day I got the call from them (NCB Foundation) I was ecstatic, overjoyed," said Jason Bulgin, 2010 Kingston awardee.

Bulgin is from the community of Seaview Gardens. He explained that he is from a single-parent family of five, and his mother would not have been able to send him to university.

However, he now has that opportunity because one of his high-school teachers assisted him in completing the online application process.

Bulgin reflected on the days leading up to the phone call informing him that he was short-listed for the scholarship.

"I was very worried, nervous because this was the only way I would attend university, and my mother and I prayed," added Bulgin.

He is pursuing a degree in actuarial science at the University of the West Indies, Mona. He receives $200,000 per year to assist with completing his studies.

Meanwhile, Bertram Fearon, who, so far, has benefited from the scholarship for three years of his four-year programme said, "It was well needed and covered a significant portion of fees at the University of Technology."

He explained that when he got the scholarship award in 2008, his mother was unemployed and unable to assist him in following his career path.

Fearon said the only part of the application process that challenged him was writing his essay. He said he was looking forward to his final year as he studies engineering, and he is appealing to students to apply early.

The NCB Foundation also offers an institutional grant for teachers' colleges that will be administered through the school's administration.

This is in keeping with the foundation's objective to help enhance and train teachers with teaching methodologies that will lead to better examination results.

The NCB Foundation was established in 2003 and is guided by a mandate to provide opportunities for meaningful change and improvement in the Jamaican society by focusing on education, community development, youth leadership programmes and entrepreneurship.

To date, the foundation has spent more than $200 million on providing educational opportunities to help students fulfil their academic dreams.