News Releases

UWI Open Campus Receives Donor Support for ScholarShip Cruise and Learn Adventure

For Release Upon Receipt - January 15, 2014

St. Augustine


 ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – As a sign of support and commitment to The University of the West Indies Open Campus’ fund-raising ScholarShip Cruise and Learn Adventure initiative, FutureFunds Ltd. has presented the campus with a cheque for US$5,000. The cheque was presented on January 7, 2014, at the Open Campus Principal’s Office in Barbados. This welcome financial support for a key initiative of the University illustrates how prospective donors and alumni, or anyone else can be involved and engaged with the institution even if they are unable to participate in activities.  

The second ScholarShip Cruise and Learn Adventure series by the Open Campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI), scheduled for April 6 to 17, 2014, will be aboard the Coral Princess from the elegant Princess Cruises Line. The cruise will originate from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and ports of call will include: Ocho Rios in Jamaica; Limon in Costa Rica; the Panama Canal and Colon in Panama; Cartagena in Colombia; and Aruba.  

Apart from providing a relaxing retreat, the cruise aims to broaden UWI alumni relations inside and outside of the Caribbean region. It is also a fund-raising initiative to provide more opportunities for Caribbean students to attend The UWI.  

The activity is the brainchild of Open Campus Principal, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald, and was designed primarily to attract UWI alumni and friends of The UWI across the Caribbean region and the diaspora. The on-board lectures and in-country activities aim to deepen networks, establish connections, generate goodwill, build friendships and memories, and forge a unique and intriguing Caribbean educational travel experience.  

Guests of The UWI on board the cruise will learn interesting facts and features about the University’s linkages with Central and South America and Caribbean history, culture, trade and other areas, through its on-board academic facilitators. 

The first ScholarShip Cruise and Learn Adventure in 2011 was very successful, based on the glowing accounts by those who made the trip. Many friends from the UWI were reunited after several years apart, reconnected with families, learned about their Caribbean neighbours and established strong network connections on the cruise. 

Persons who are interested in booking the cruise may register by going online to www.open.uwi.edu/adventures. For information on direct monetary donations to support the work of the UWI Open Campus, please email principal@open.uwi.edu.

End

Photo caption

Mr. Steve Imperato (second left), of FutureFunds Ltd., Advancement Consultant to The University of the West Indies (UWI), presents a cheque for US$5,000 to Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald (third left) in support of The UWI’s second ScholarShip Cruise and Learn Adventure scheduled for April 6 to 17, 2014. Others in the picture are: (l-r) Dr Joel Warrican, Planning and Development Officer, UWI Open Campus; Miss Minna Isreal, Special Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor on Resource Development; and Professor Vivienne Roberts, Deputy Principal, UWI Open Campus.   

About The UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences. 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.) 

For the latest UWI News, click http://sta.uwi.edu/news.

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