Record number of Caribbean nationals receive 2022 tourism scholarships from regional charity

The collective dreams of a record number of Caribbean students who are pursuing further education in tourism and related subjects are closer to becoming a reality with financial support from the region’s premier tourism education charity.

Twelve applicants from ten Caribbean countries have been offered scholarships and study grants from the CTO Scholarship Foundation for the 2022/23 academic year, after new donors joined existing sponsors in responding to the foundation’s plea for funding.

“We are extremely heartened by the commitment of our donors and sponsors to the development of the Caribbean’s tourism human resources and by extension the region’s tourism and hospitality sector,” says Jacqueline Johnson, the chairman of the CTO Scholarship Foundation board. “To step forward as they’ve done in these difficult times underlines their dedication to investing in the Caribbean’s future.”

After awarding just two scholarships last year due to a lack of funding, the foundation celebrated a number of firsts this year. For the first time ever, Blue Group Media, a Miami-based independent advertising sales company that represents national and global media brands, has come on board as a sponsor and is funding two scholarships. In addition, through the fundraising efforts of Jonathan Morgan, the son of the late Bonita Morgan, the former Caribbean Tourism Organization human resources director, three students will receive funding through the Bonita Morgan Memorial Scholarship.

It’s the first time since this scholarship was introduced in 2019 that the foundation is awarding more than one such scholarship. Among the three recipients is Mykerline Stéphane Brice of Haiti, who will pursue an advanced diploma in hospitality and tourism management cooperation at the Toronto School of Management in Canada. Brice is the first Haitian ever to apply for or granted a scholarship in the foundation’s 25-year history.

“More than a scholarship, I consider it a demonstration of trust in my career development in the tourism field,” said Brice, who plans to keep working on meaningful tourism projects in her home country and contribute to the development of Caribbean tourism.

The following are the scholarship and grant recipients and their areas of study:

Study Grant                       
Sharissa Lightbourne – Turks & Caicos Islands – Analytics Certificate Programme, Management Concepts, Atlanta, GA
Quinneka Smith – The Bahamas – Food and Beverage Management, Conegosta College, Canada
Roshane Smith – Jamaica – Flight Instruction/Pilot Training – Aeronautical School of the West Indies Ltd., Jamaica

Bonita Morgan Memorial Scholarship                           
Keisha Alexander – Grenada – Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management, University of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Jamaica
Mykerline J. Stephane Brice – Haiti – Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Toronto School of Management, Canada
Adeline Raphael – Martinique – Disaster Risk Management, Florida International University, USA

Arley Sobers Memorial Scholarship                              
Brent Piper – Trinidad & Tobago – BSc., Computer Science, Howard University, USA

Audrey Palmer Hawks Memorial Scholarship                          
Nesa Constantine Beaubrun – Saint Lucia – Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Marketing, Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK
Tiffany Mohanlal – Trinidad & Tobago – MSc, Tourism Development and Management, UWI, Trinidad & Tobago

Thomas Greenan Scholarship                             
Koby Samuel – Antigua & Barbuda – Hospitality Management and Culinary, Monroe College, USA

Blue Group Media Scholarship     
Alexandra Dupigny – Dominica – BSc, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Dominica
Antonia Pierre-Hector – Dominica -BSc, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Dominica