The University of the West Indies, Mona has awarded six postgraduate scholarships to research students at the institution whose programmes of study have the potential to have regional and international impact and will give credence to the University’s 60th anniversary theme “Caribbean Impact, Global Reach”. The prestigious 60th Anniversary Mona Scholarships were presented by Principal of the Mona Campus, Professor Gordon Shirley, on Monday, December 22, 2008 at a ceremony held in the Council Room at Mona.  

The 60th anniversary Mona Scholarships are valued at $525,000 per year for a maximum of two years, and also cover tuition and miscellaneous fees at the Mona Campus. The recipients are: Tricishanna Henry of the Faculty of  Medical Sciences, Dawna Jones, Faculty of  Pure and Applied Sciences, Noelle Hoskins, Faculty of Humanities and Education, Shawna-Kay McLarty,  Centre for Gender and Development Studies, Dedra Bartlett, SALISES and Aieka Smith  of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Twenty-two (22) year old Tricishanna Henry is a First Class Honours graduate of the Faculty of Medical Sciences with a degree in Pharmacology. A past student of St. Hugh’s High School and Excelsior Community College, she is currently pursuing the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in Pharmacology.

Dawna Jones holds a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences. The 22 year old is a past student of Hampton High School and is currently pursuing the M.Phil degree in Mathematics.

Noelle Hoskins, 29 years, graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Spanish and French from the Faculty of Humanities and Education. The Manchester High School graduate is pursuing the Master of Philosophy degree in Spanish.

Shawna-Kay McLarty received First Class Honours in Media and Communication with a minor in Gender and Development Studies. The 21 year old student graduated from Knox College and then moved on to Manchester High School for sixth form studies. She is currently enrolled in the M.Phil programme in Gender and Development Studies.

Twenty-eight (28) year old Dedra Bartlett is enrolled in the M.Phil  degree in Social Policy at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES). A Barbadian, Ms. Bartlett graduated with Upper Second Class Honours in Sociology and also holds a M.Sc degree in Social Policy.

The sixth recipient of the 60th anniversary scholarship is 24 year old Aieka Smith, who graduated with Upper Second Class Honours in International Relations and Political Science. She also holds the Master of Science degree in Government (Distinction), and her thesis was adjudged the best of her class. Miss Smith is now pursuing the Ph.D. in Government.

The University also used the opportunity to present the Sidrak Scholarships, established to honour the late Professor George Sidrak for his over 40 years of dedicated and excellent service to The University of the West Indies. Awards were presented to Sanya Steen, a graduate in Experimental Biology, and Mr. Setu Monroe, a graduate in Environmental Biology, both from the Department of Life Sciences in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences. Each scholarship is valued at Ja$400,000 per student per year and will be awarded to graduate students conducting research in any aspect of plant science (Botany) in the Department of Life Sciences, Mona.

In addition, the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT), which represents the academic, senior administrative and professional staff at Mona, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, announced that it was marking the UWI’s 60th anniversary with the gift of a scholarship valued at $600,000 to be disbursed over two years.  In making the presentation to the Principal, WIGUT President, Dr. Winston De La Haye, said that the scholarships would be awarded to a student whose work has the potential to impact Jamaica’s economic development. He pointed out that WIGUIT has this year awarded another J$29 million in other scholarships and bursaries to over 65 students, making it the largest single donor to the students’ welfare.

In the photo: Principal of UWI, Mona, Professor Gordon Shirley, (centre) with recipients of the prestigious University’s 60th anniversary awards and the 2009 Sidrak Scholarships. Standing (l-r) are Sidrak Scholars Setu Munroe and Sanya Steen, and 60th anniversary award recipients: Noelle Hoskins, Dawna Jones, Aieka Smith, Tricishanna Henry, and Shannakay Mclarty.