US college recruiter wants more Jamaicans
FOR YOUNG and vibrant Jamaicans seeking to further their studies at a university in the United States, as well as those interested in advancing their sporting skills in a Division One league, Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, has opened its arms wide.
A major advantage applying for a spot at the institution, as explained by Claire Dunning, assistant director for international admissions, is that applicants don’t have to sit the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
The Gleaner caught up with Dunning on Monday, during day one of a two-day college fair put on by the United States Embassy at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
“We are an SAT optional school. Students can choose. They can either give us the SAT or they can write three shortanswer essays instead of the SAT. Whether they do the test or the essays, they are eligible for the same scholarships, from US$5,000 to US$30,000,” Dunning told The Gleaner yesterday.
She boasted of her institution’s policy of providing an innovative curriculum, which integrates business studies alongside the liberal arts.
They also participate in 22 Division One sporting disciplines.
“We say everything is a business, so it is important to understand how business works; a hospital, a university or a big corporation. Everything has a corporate structure. But the liberal arts teach our students how to think critically, how to problem-solve and take their creative ideas and shape them into innovations. All of our students have to do a bit of both,” Dunning said.
BOTH WAYS OF THINKING
“We have a college of the arts and sciences, and if students want to major in the business field, like data sciences and accounting, then they have to do at least one minor from our school of arts and sciences, in biology, communications, actuarial science or something of that sort. They end up learning both ways of thinking, and vice versa.”
She added: “I would like to bring a few more Jamaican students to my university. Jamaicans are fantastic and they bring a lot of vibrancy to our college. We’d love to accept as
many applications as we can. We have small classes that focus on applied learning, and we have 22 NCAA Division One teams,” she said.
“To apply, students can go to the university’s website. They can also send applications through www.commonapp.org or www.universalcollegeapp.com, then they can send us their transcripts, CSEC/CAPE results and reference letters.”