Jill Stewart MoBay City Run hands out $8m in scholarships for 2024
Published:Thursday | September 19, 2024 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The Jill Stewart MoBay City Run charity organisation, formerly the ‘MoBay City Run,’ yesterday, handed out $8 million in scholarship funds to students from several schools in western Jamaica, the first major scholarship donation since the event was renamed.
Sixty-five students from The University of the West Indies (UWI) Western Jamaica Campus, the University of Technology (UTech) Western Jamaica Campus, the Montego Bay Community College (MBCC), and the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC) were presented with scholarships during a ceremony held at Sandals Montego Bay, in St James.
Janet Silvera, chairman of the charity’s organising committee, told the ceremony that over the past seven years, $35.5 million has been given out in scholarships to assist students in western Jamaica who could not otherwise afford to pursue their dreams of higher education.
“For those who have been with us from the start, you will remember that we initiated the scholarship fund, and our mission was to help to sustain education in western Jamaica,” said Silvera. “I am proud to say that in the past seven years, with this amount that we are giving this year, which will be about $8 million, we would have given $35.5 million toward this cause. I want to thank you for being part of this journey and for continuing to support education in Jamaica.”
This year’s $8-million scholarship donation, which is substantially more than last year’s $3.5 million, includes $2.5 million to The UWI, $1.4 million to UTech, $1.7 million to MBCC, and $1.2 million to SSTC. Additionally, $200,000 has been given to students from Northern Caribbean University and the Caribbean Maritime Institute, and $100,000 has been earmarked for a student with sickle cell disease through the Shak’s Hope Charity.
Tribute to daughter-in-law
During the function, P.J. Stewart, the mother of Sandals Resorts International’s executive chairman Adam Stewart, paid tribute to her daughter-in-law and the charity’s namesake, Jill Stewart, who died from cancer in July 2023. Prior to her death, Jill Stewart was an educator and a long-time supporter of the MoBay City Run since its inception in 2013.
“We know that the MoBay City Run, now the Jill Stewart MoBay City Run, was near and dear to Jill’s heart. She and our family and so many friends had participated over the years in the run,” said the senior Stewart. “Jill was not only a runner and athlete, but she was a teacher, and teaching and education were very dear to her heart. She believed in the power of education and the power of sport to allow people to become better versions of themselves.”
Shanique Corbett, a UWI student from the Flanker community, who was one of the scholarship recipients, said the opportunity given to her and to her fellow beneficiaries would have a long-lasting impact.
“This is not just an event, a run, or a race. This is a beacon of hope, and it shows that education is a team effort,” said Corbett, who is the first member of her family to go to university. “All we need is a little boost to take that big leap forward. It is about creating a ripple effect that will inspire students for generations to come.”