Grand Palladium pays it forward through scholarship foundation

SEVEN STUDENTS enrolled in tertiary education recently received scholarship awards from The Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa under its newly established Palladium Hotel Group (PHG) scholarship foundation.

This summer the foundation was launched and all PHG locations in the Americas – Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica – offered scholarships to children of Palladium (CoP) workers in the amount of US$200 (approximately J$30,000) monthly for one academic year.

Held at the Palladium Travel Club Lounge on September 13, the ceremony was well attended by team members, parents, and well-wishers.

Mitzie Smart, the resort’s social responsibility manager, stated in her address to the students that the children’s parents were hardworking and dedicated to building the Palladium brand, so it was only fitting for the resort to give back to their employees, assisting parents who found it difficult at times to provide for their children and ensure that they have the opportunity to pursue higher education.

“You awardees are ambitious, you are tenacious, you are trendsetters, you dreamed of wanting more from life [and] you have set out to make yourself and your parents proud,” she said, noting that pursuing tertiary studies was not an easy task.

“Therefore, my encouragement to you is to stay focused on the dreams you have [and] your reason for pursuing your higher education programme,” she said.

FIRST BENEFICIARIES

Smart expressed her hope that the students, who are the first cohort to benefit from the PHG scholarship foundation, will use it and be successful in their future endeavours.

Former headgirl and student of Rusea’s High School in Lucea, Hanover, Brianna Jones, expressed her appreciation to the resort’s management for awarding her the scholarship. She said that it would significantly improve her present financial circumstances.

Jones is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the Western Jamaica Campus of The University of the West Indies, Mona.

Mickaylia McIntosh, a student at Bethlehem Moravian College in Malvern, St Elizabeth, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education, said she was grateful for being able to receive the PHG scholarship and that she was looking forward to working hard to make her mother, Felicia Evans, who works in the resort’s restaurant department, extremely proud.

“I am truly ecstatic about the awards of scholarship to the children of our team members,” said Leroy Peart, president of the staff association at the resort, in praising the efforts of the hotel.

“Anything that has to do with the enrichment of our staff and by extension the children of our team members is highly appreciated and we welcome it,” he added, noting that it was his desire for the scholarship programme to be a sustainable one.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com