Group awards $80,000 in scholarships to students of Jamaican heritage at Howard University

WASHINGTON, DC:

The Jamaican Howard University Affinity Network (JHUAN) has announced the award of $80,000 in scholarships to 20 students of Jamaican heritage attending Howard University.

The scholarship recipients include Aaliyah Anderson, Kathy Bedasse, Damario Berry, Nazarah Bridgewater, Gabrielle Clarke, Sarah Cole, Alrick Davis, Yashieka Fearon, Aliyah Hamilton, Paul Jones, Lori-Ann Knight, Huonna McCarthy, Danielle McIntosh, Ashley Medley, Shamona Morris, Jade Mullings, Tabitha Norton, Naila Scott, Lori-Lee Stennett and Amanda Wright.

The 20 awardees will be recognised at the organisation’s annual fundraising event, HUes of Blue, on Saturday, September 16. The event will be hosted by Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Audrey P. Marks, who has been a leading advocate of the programme since its inception.

The network is the result of the collaborative vision of Howard University’s 17th president, Dr Wayne A. I. Frederick, and Ambassador Marks, who both sought to enhance support for Jamaican students and appointed founding chairman, Don Christian, to spearhead the Howard scholarship organisation.

“The primary intent of these scholarships is to bolster the trajectory of Jamaican students at Howard, granting them broader access and opportunities. As an alumnus who has benefited greatly from Howard University, it is important that we look for ways to support our academic institutions and pay it forward,” Christian said.

“As JHUAN continues to grow its financial support and broaden its impact, I am honoured as a Howard alumnus to support our Jamaican students who have navigated significant challenges to be able to pursue their studies at Howard.”

CRITICAL NEED

Since the launch of the scholarship programme in 2018, a total of 64 scholarships have been awarded, totalling $254,000 over the five years.

In 2023, scholarship applications increased by 50 per cent while fundraising has grown at an average of 36 per cent annually, demonstrating the critical need for increased financial support.

The $4,000 scholarships were awarded to Jamaica-born students or those of Jamaican parentage with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and enrolled full-time at Howard University.

JHUAN’s goal is to raise significant funds at the upcoming HUes of Blue fundraising event, in order to impact more lives. “Through scholarships, students will be able to ease the financial burden and focus more on academics,” says JHUAN Scholarship and Mentorship Committee chair, Joanita Ricketts.

“In addition to scholarships, JHUAN offers mentorships, workshops and webinars covering areas such as financial literacy and career planning.

We hope that early exposure will help students gain a better appreciation for life after college and empower them to be better positioned for career success,” Ricketts said.