Invests in engineering, medical science and law scholarships alongside LNG technical training and research programs to develop workforce
 
New Fortress Energy has demonstrated its support for education by investing in scholarships for five students at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. The students, who hail from the parishes of Clarendon, St. Catherine, Kingston, and St. James, will each receive J$325,000 per academic year beginning in 2017-2018 and throughout their tenure at the University if they continue to demonstrate a high level of academic performance.  
 
The New Fortress Energy scholarships are among the commitments the company is making in their partnership with The UWI; as they recently signed a contract to provide Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to The UWI to fuel the engines of the Co-Generation Plant, which The UWI will be expanding, under a separate agreement with another entity.  The introduction of LNG will not only reduce the fuel costs for The Mona Campus by some J$52 million annually, but also make it a more environmentally friendly campus by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 16%. 
 
“Jamaica is an exceptional country with some of the brightest and most talented people in the world. We are committed to the education and advancement of the next generation,” said Wes Edens, Chairman and Founder, New Fortress Energy. “Everyone deserves access to quality education. It is our privilege to help students with financial need and a desire to excel and reach their fullest potential.” 
 
Among the awardees are two students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, two from the Mona School of Engineering and one student from the Faculty of Law. Recipients include Jordan Hayles, a first-year student from Spanish Town, St. Catherine pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Power Engineering, and Rickel Williams, a final year student from Bogue Village, Montego Bay, St. James pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering. Recipients Jade McGann, a first-year student from Bushy Park, St. Catherine, and Crystal Duncombe, a third-year student, are both from the Faculty of Medical Sciences and Gary McDonald, final year student from Washington Gardens, Kingston is pursuing a Law degree.
 
“New Fortress Energy has shown that they are on board not only to lend support to The UWI through this LNG purchasing contract, but to accelerate the development of Jamaica through their investment in education and training, which is at the core of economic development” remarked Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The University of the West Indies, Mona, Professor Archibald McDonald.
 
“We receive hundreds of applications from outstanding students each year who face financial challenges and are extremely happy that these students have received funding thanks to New Fortress Energy and their commitment to education in Jamaica,” expressed Shana Hastings, Manager of the Office of Student Financing at The UWI Mona Campus.
 
New Fortress Energy has also committed to provide grants to staff of The UWI and assist in the training of over 100 electrical power engineering students. The training program is expected to increase to over 300 in the next two years, with the Government of Jamaica and the University’s goal to dramatically increase the total number of graduating engineers to over 1,000 per year. This will strengthen and build further competence and capacity for the growing LNG industry workforce in Jamaica, throughout the Caribbean and North America. Additionally, members of the University’s academic staff will benefit from new research programs in cryogenics, the study of the production and behavior of materials at very low temperatures.
 
 
About The University of the West Indies
Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology and Social Sciences. UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. For more information, visit www.uwi.edu 
 
About New Fortress Energy
New Fortress Energy (NFE) is a global energy infrastructure company that provides clean, reliable, and affordable energy to developing markets and emerging industries. The company supplies natural gas, end-to-end logistics, financing and infrastructure solutions to power, transportation and industrial companies and customers worldwide. NFE recently partnered with Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to deliver the first supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Jamaica. New Fortress Energy is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group, a highly diversified global investment manager with approximately $72.4 billion assets under management as of June 30, 2017 and a long history of investing in transportation and infrastructure-oriented assets.