The Sydney A. Phillips Scholarship Trust Fund (SAPSTF) awarded approximately $2,250,000 to nine outstanding students from the parish of St. Mary on Friday, August 14, 2020 at the Headquarters of the Jamaica Producers Group (JPG).
Funding for this year stems from the support of Jamaica Producers Group, who has been the major financier of the Fund since its inception, in addition to past scholars, whose generosity covers the cost of two of this year’s scholarships, and friends and family of the late Sydney A. Phillips.
The nine recipients have each successfully obtained scholarships valued at $250,000 per annum for the duration of their degree. In fact, the 2020 cohort includes six students from 2019 and three from the new, very competitive batch of applicants this year.
Those continuing from last year include Shamona Bailey and Shando Buchanan, both Marine Engineering students at Caribbean Maritime University (CMU); Shereen LaTouche, a Science Education major at Mico University; Cedella McKie, Integrated Marketing Communications student at University of the West Indies (UWI); Xandrea Roach, Law student at UWI; and Natola Watt, Land Economy and Valuation Surveying at University of Technology Jamaica.
Joining them are Joelle Greensword, a third-year Industrial Engineering at CMU; Kristina Selvyn, final year Psychology student at UWI and Ashley Gray, a second-year Sociology major at UWI.
According to Jeffrey Hall, CEO of Jamaica Producers Group, JPG’s support for this Fund and the parish of St. Mary remain unwavering.
“Jamaica Producers is the largest private employer in the Parish of St. Mary where we have operated for over 90 years. We have a strong commitment to the communities in which we do business, and this is the main reason why we have proudly remained steadfast in supporting the educational goals of bright young people from St. Mary — the home of JP Farms — through the Sydney A. Phillips Scholarship Trust.”
This is the first year that the Trust will be providing in excess of $2 million to the scholars. The previous highest being $1.5 million in 2019; bringing the Fund’s total contribution to education to $17.05 million in aid of St. Mary’s brightest.
Fondly known as the “Pay-It-Forward” scholarship, the SAPSTF assists students from the parish of St. Mary, who display excellent academic performance and community involvement. Elizabeth Phillips, director of SAPSTF spoke highly of the candidates and selection process.
“We have been very impressed and amazed by the level of knowledge, maturity and dedication of these young people. It really restores your hope in the future of this country, when you see this talent and this intent of purpose that is there,” noted Phillips.
Sydney A. Phillips Scholarship Trust Fund Scholarship (SAPSTF) awardees Joelle Greensword, third-year Industrial Engineering student at Caribbean Maritime Institute; Ashley Gray, second-year Sociology student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona and Kristina Selvyn, final year Psychology student at UWI, Mona share a happy moment during the presentation ceremony held on Friday, August 14, 2020 at the Jamaica Producers Group corporate head office in Kingston. The SAPSTF awarded approximately $2,250,000 to nine outstanding students from the parish of St. Mary for the 2020-2021 academic year
Lifted Burden
Joelle Greensword, who has been battling for a seat at the table in the male-dominated field of engineering, expressed relief in being selected for this year’s scholarship awardees.
“I currently live in an extended family and my elderly mother and father are retired and financially, they are only dependent on their pensions. This scholarship will not only lift a burden from my family, who is already using all the resources possible to help me achieve my goal, but it will also take a strain away from me as a student. It will allow me the opportunity to continue to strive for greatness and graduate with my degree as an Industrial Engineer in which I can give back to my society.”
With similar views on positively contributing to society with the assistance of the scholarship was Sociology major Ashley Gray.
“This scholarship will benefit me by laying the foundation for me to achieve my goals. There are many societal issues in our country such as poverty, crime, and teenage pregnancy that hinder our development. I want to use sociology to mitigate these issues in a way that it will foster our development. Sociology will help me to fully understand the causes of these issues and to provide solutions. I will be able to make my contribution to the development of my country with a degree in Sociology.”
For Kristina Selvyn, the scholarship represents a source of comfort and fuel for her passion.
“I am overwhelmed, humbled and thankful to know that I have been chosen as a recipient. This scholarship will truly benefit my family and me by easing the financial pressures that are present and allow me to focus more on my studies and complete my final year successfully.
“I have a passion for helping people and understanding why people do the things they do. I want to help people find resources to cope with everyday problems and adversities. This [scholarship] will make this academic year much easier and help get closer to achieving my goals,” Selvyn explained
The Sydney A. Phillips Scholarship was established in 1994 in honour of then retiring Custos of the parish of St. Mary. He was a lawyer, farmer, senator and sportsman, whose crowning glory was captaining the St. Mary Cricket Team to victory in the Nethersole Cup. He passed away on August 4, 1994; two days after the first scholarship recipients were selected.