Curtis Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Beverage Company Appleton Jamaica has partnered with The Cultural Entertainment and Affairs Chairperson (CEAC) at The University of the West Indies (UWI) to provide two scholarships worth $100,000 each for students studying either economics or entertainment and cultural enterprise management.

According to Jared Samuels, Appleton's brand assistant, the company is delighted to assist in the development of future leaders.

"We have been a part of campus life for quite some time now, and we decided that we not only wanted to contribute to the entertainment, but also to the development of the students. We want to encourage students to strive, especially in areas that Appleton is associated with like marketing, and so forth.

"In turn, when they leave school, they can perhaps contribute to the development of brand Appleton," he said.

To qualify for the scholarships, hopefuls must be students at the University of The West Indies, must be an economics or entertainment and cultural enterprise management major, and must not owe the school in excess of $50,000.

According to Miguel Reid, cultural entertainment and affairs chairperson at the UWI, the scholarships are very important because many students are facing financial difficulties.

positive step

"I know how it feels to want to achieve your goals, and at the same time are hampered by financial constraints. So I think this collaboration with Appleton is a real positive step to providing assistance in the wake of the challenging economic climate that we are faced with. I hope this initiative will become an annual thing under the CEAC portfolio so that students can see other benefits aside from the entertainment value," Reid said.

Reid is currently making preparations for the up-coming UWI carnival season, which starts on March 14 and concludes on the 17th.

Appleton Jamaica is also promoting a new campaign called 'Something Special is Happening', which is focused on having a good time and drinking responsibly.