UWI student cops JN Way Scholarship
CHAVEL FORD, a second-year student at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, is the recipient of the 2018 JN WAY Scholarship Award.
Miss Ford was announced winner of the inaugural scholarship at the JN Wise Aspiring Youth (JN WAY) Awards Ceremony 2018, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday, May 22.
The 21-year-old international relations major was selected from among 33 JN Way ambassadors from 20 tertiary institutions across Jamaica, who completed the fifth iteration of the initiative.
The scholarship, valued at $150,000, is presented to a JN Way ambassador who completed one year in the JN Way programme and will have a minimum of one academic year left in school.
The recipient must also maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average, be a top performer in the JN WAY programme, and is able to prove financial need.
“I am elated and grateful for this scholarship. It will certainly go a far way in helping me complete my final year at the UWI,” Miss Ford said, pointing out that the funds will go towards her tuition.
MOST IMPROVED AMBASSADOR
The St Andrew High School for Girls graduate was also the recipient of the Most Improved ambassador Award. That award is presented to the Ambassador who shows the greatest degree of improvement over the course of the year-long programme, in terms of: initiating the opening of JN Bank accounts, events attendance and level of participation.
“I am looking forward to the next year of the JN WAY programme, as this initiative has made a world of difference in my life in several ways. It made me a bolder, more outgoing person, and has also helped me to learn to prioritise and manage my time effectively. This is a programme I would recommend to any young person,” she stated.
Another top achiever for the evening was Tiffany Wiggan, who walked away with three of the seven sectional prizes.
Miss Wiggan, a final-year student at the UWI, Mona, received the awards for Most Reliable Ambassador; Team Player of the Year; and the Earl Jarrett Award (Exceptional JN Youth Ambassador).
She credits her success not only to her determination and hard work, but also her love of people.
“If you look at the awards that I won: team player and reliability, they all reflect the JN WAY spirit of helping and empowering the people around you. And the programme has certainly helped me to develop those traits. I really love and appreciate my fellow teammates in the programme; therefore, I did my best to push and encourage them to do well,” Miss Wiggan said.
Since its inception in 2014, the JN WAY programme has facilitated the opening and reactivation of more than 2,500 savings accounts, which continue to be maintained.
Leesa Kow, deputy managing director, JN Bank, congratulated the outgoing cohort of ambassadors. She pointed out that they “have changed the conversation on campuses across Jamaica among young adults, so that there is a good balance between partying, prudency, fun and frugality.
“Through your efforts, JN Bank is now being perceived by many young people as the financial institution with which they can grow, because it provides the right solutions to get young people started, and is not seen merely as an ATM from which they simply take money,” she stated.
Miss Kow also revealed that in the coming year, the programme will be expanded to impact more young people, and provide additional rewards and opportunities for their development.
Other sectional awards were presented to Seantee Hunt of the University of Technology (UTech), for Team Leader of the Year; Shaneece Thomas, also of UTech, Marketer of the Year; and Victoria Haughton, UWI, for Sales Ambassador of the Year.