UWI Open Campus, Delta Sigma Theta partner to help single mothers

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus and the Jamaica Alumnae Chapter (JAC) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, announced a partnership that will support students who are single mothers, as well as programmes to strengthen the professional development of alumna and advancing students.

The partnership seeks to support the primary demographic of UWI Open Campus students who are single mothers striving to complete their online education, while often working in the tourism and business process outsourcing industries. Committed to yielding tangible results that make a life-changing impact, the partnership is kicking off their collaboration with a fundraiser sponsored by the Jamaica Alumnae Chapter to raise US$10,000 to support a one-year scholarship for a UWI Open Campus student.

“Raising children while pursuing your education is a challenge that a unique group of women understands,” Jewel Daniels Radford, president, Jamaica Alumnae Chapter, said. “We saw this as a perfect opportunity to reflect the work of our global organisation (Delta Sigma Theta), which is an extension of the work we do here as the Jamaica Alumnae Chapter. The fundraiser is just the beginning of our exciting plans to create game-changing opportunities in partnership with UWI Open Campus.”

Indeed, this is true. JAC members will also serve as mentors, guest lecturers and participate in UWI Open Campus Alumni Association programmes.

Exciting, innovative partnership

The UWI Open Campus principal and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Luz Longsworth describes the alliance as an incredible way to meet the needs of students while also elevating the understanding of the sorority’s mission.

Dr Longsworth shared that the UWI Open Campus is proud to work with the Jamaica Alumnae Chapter of Delta because of its over 100-year history of college-educated Black women committed to educational advance and community service as part of their global platform.

“As women and girls in Jamaica continue to be at risk, our two organisations are pleased to join forces in engaging three groups within the UWI Open Campus family; alumni, students preparing to graduate, and students who are heavily engaged in the community serving as advocates for the university,” Dr Longsworth said. “This is an exciting and innovative partnership that will grow from strength to strength because of our mutually shared objectives.”

In addition to the UWI Open Campus alumni initiatives, the alliance has created JAC4STAT and Delta Love the Guild, which will offer programmes and events for college students. In addition, plans are under way for an international exchange-student co-operative that will link those interested in studying abroad with a “soft landing” representative of the sorority currently enrolled or a graduate of the targeted college. More information will be available at the Fall JAC-UWI College Fair.