NCU welcomes sponsors for Homecoming 2024

Northern Caribbean University(NCU) President, Dr Lincoln Edwards, has welcomed the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Manchester Parish Development Committee (MPDC), and the Social Development Commission (SDC) parish office as partners in the joint staging of NCU Homecoming 2024. The event will be held November 4 to 10 and marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the NCU alumni body.

Speaking at a media launch on June 20, Dr Edwards noted that the participation and contribution of these three entities underscored the fact that NCU is a member of the Manchester community, where the institution has been located since 1919 – 105 years ago. He noted that Thursday, November 7 is dubbed ‘Manchester Community Day’ with activities on that day specially geared towards residents and businesses in Manchester.

The NCU President also announced corporate entities who have already confirmed their sponsorship of Homecoming 2024. They include: the Students’ Loan Bureau, the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Specialised Imaging Solutions and the Cornwall Broadcasting Company Limited operators of Mello FM 88.

“I wish to commend these organisations for their support and expression of faith in the administration of NCU signalled by their expression of commitment, five months ahead of the event,” Dr Edwards said. He invited other corporate entities to come on board.

special reference

Dr. Edwards said the NCU Homecoming 2024 is used to raise funds to provide grants and scholarships to needy students to ensure they complete their studies and advance their careers. He made special reference to situations where students from troubled communities and families are given a chance to alter the negative trajectory of their lives by offering them scholarships through the RESCUE programme. The acronym – RESCUE means: Restoring Every Students Confidence Using Education.

Uton Bailey, the Cornwall Broadcasting Company’s representative, said the entity has committed to sponsoring NCU Homecoming week for four consecutive years. The Manchester Chamber of Commerce President Simone Spence-Johnson also offered support, saying: “We make it known that the Manchester Chamber of Commerce endorses these events and asks the business community and community at large to come on board. We need your support and partnership to make every aspect of this celebration a success.”

Anthony Freckleton, chairman of the Manchester Parish Development Committee, expressed satisfaction at being ‘associated with Northern Caribbean University’s 2024 Homecoming Week which promises a number of wholesome events in celebration of the Institution’s outstanding contribution to the educational, social and economic development of the Parish of Manchester and indeed the country.”

support

He added: “We would like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to support this significant calendar event as we celebrate the monumental achievements of our premier faith-based Institution”.

The Social Development Commission expressed delight in collaborating with NCU in staging Homecoming Week 2024. “This period provides an opportunity to further engage with 71 communities and nine Development Areas across the parish and foster strong partnerships with local stakeholders,” said Acting Parish Manager Tamara Stewart in a statement delivered on her behalf by Shamara Cohen-McCatty.

The SDC further stated: “Northern Caribbean University has made significant and ongoing contributions to communities within Manchester, across Jamaica, and internationally, reflecting a holistic approach to community development. As the university continues to positively impact lives through its operations, the SDC is dedicated to harnessing the university’s skills, talents, and capabilities to promote sustainable community development”.

In giving an overview of activities for Homecoming 2024, NCU Director of Alumni Relations and Advancement Danieto Murray said the SDC will be staging a cricket match with a parish team competing against a NCU team comprised of current and past students on Manchester Community Day. Other sporting events to be held on that day include the NCU President’s Eleven football match pitting the alumni against the current student body. Murray said further that some 2000 upper high school students will be hosted across two days as part of the university’s recruitment drive.

Harold Clayton, president of the NCU Alumni Federation, based in the United States, endorsed the week-long activities which marks the centennial of the alumni association which began while the institution was named West Indies Training College.