Local Non-Profit Issues Scholarship

A young Caymanian began studies at Northern Caribbean University (NCU) last week (Monday, September 7, 2020), following the issue of a full scholarship by the local nonprofit, NCU Alumni Association Cayman Chapter.

Twenty-two-year old Tevon Dixon of East End is pursuing a degree in social work.

“I am very grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the grant of this scholarship,” Ms. Dixon said, adding: “I see myself becoming a role model, particularly for young people.”

This is the second tertiary level scholarship issued under the auspices of the local NCU alumni association, said Patricia Ebanks, president of the Cayman Chapter. The first scholarship awardee, Ms. Sonia Bailey, is entering her second year towards her bachelor’s degree in education.

A third scholarship is under consideration for issue in January 2021 for a Caymanian to pursue a postgraduate diploma in education at NCU.

The latest scholarship awardee, Ms. Dixon, is the grand-daughter of the late local building contractor Roy Campbell and his wife Omelin Alberga-Campbell, and the daughter of Ms. Joy Campbell.

Ms. Campbell, a former paramedic, retired on medical grounds from the Health Services Authority (HSA) several years ago following a serious accident between the ambulance she was driving and another vehicle. Tevon is the second of five children.

Speaking on behalf of the Cayman Chapter of the NCU Alumni Association, Ms. Ebanks said: “We are truly delighted to have afforded this opportunity for a Caymanian to access tertiary education at a Christian tertiary educational institution like NCU, and we wish her the greatest of success in her studies.”

The funds for the scholarship were garnered from a 2019 concert and other fund-raising initiatives by the non-profit organisation, said Ms. Ebanks, thanking all the sponsors who made this award possible.

“Our main concert sponsors included the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands Government, Cayman National Bank, Westin Grand Cayman Resort, Cayman Islands Judicial Administration, Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Oxbridge Reinsurance, Mr. Ezzard Miller, Brady's Attorneys-at- Law, and Clearly Cayman Dive Resorts, Ms. Ebanks said.

NCU, whose main campus is in Mandeville, Jamaica, is a fully accredited tertiary educational institution that offers degrees in a wide range of majors up to the doctoral level. Scholarships from the Cayman Chapter of the NCU Alumni Association are available to all Caymanians, regardless of religious affiliation, who fulfil academic requirements, are accepted by NCU, and are approved by the Chapter’s Scholarship Committee.

NCU has distinguished itself in recent years in the fields of information technology and science. In July 2019, the university retained first place in Jamaica’s National Science and Technology Competition hosted by that country’s Scientific Research Council (SRC).

Commenting at the time (according to the Jamaica Observer - http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/career-education/ncu-dominates-national-s-t-competition_169767?profile=1286&template=MobileArticle), “NCU President, Dr Lincoln Edwards, said that the performance of the students and their faculty leaders continued to demonstrate the institution's ‘growing reputation as a centre for applied research’”.

This included, the Observer reported, “the recent launch of Zon Teasan, a nutraceutical product that resulted from initial scientific work done by NCU researchers.”

Other competitions which the university has won in recent years were reported to include the following:

• Microsoft Imagine Cup on behalf of Jamaica (2010)

• National Business Model Competition (2014-2017)

• International Business Model Competition (2018)

• Girls in ICT Caribbean Hackathon (2017-2018)

• National Science and Technology Competition (2018-2019)

• First runner up of the Girls in ICT Caribbean Hackathon (2019)

NCU is owned and operated by the Adventist Church in the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Due to the pandemic, most studies are now administered by means of online instruction, with the campus open only to students whose studies require laboratory sessions.