David 'Wagga' Hunt Foundation to disburse $3.6M in scholarships to Jamaican students
Key Points(5)
- Twenty-four students hailing from Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High in Jamaica are set to reap the benefits of $3.6 million in scholarships earmarked for the upcoming 2024/25 academic year.
- This generous support stems from the David “Wagga” Hunt Foundation, a U.S.-based charity established in 2009 to honor the memory of the late football coach and sports administrator after whom it is named.
- The foundation, dedicated to perpetuating Hunt’s legacy, mobilizes funds to aid deserving students at KC, his alma mater, and Calabar High, where he once coached football.
- Recipients of these scholarships are required to exhibit academic excellence, active engagement in extracurricular activities, and a demonstrated need for financial assistance.
- In doing so, they carry forward Hunt’s ethos of leadership and his fervor for sports.
Twenty-four students hailing from Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High in Jamaica are set to reap the benefits of $3.6 million in scholarships earmarked for the upcoming 2024/25 academic year.
This generous support stems from the David “Wagga” Hunt Foundation, a U.S.-based charity established in 2009 to honor the memory of the late football coach and sports administrator after whom it is named. The foundation, dedicated to perpetuating Hunt’s legacy, mobilizes funds to aid deserving students at KC, his alma mater, and Calabar High, where he once coached football.
Recipients of these scholarships are required to exhibit academic excellence, active engagement in extracurricular activities, and a demonstrated need for financial assistance. In doing so, they carry forward Hunt’s ethos of leadership and his fervor for sports.
Last academic year, the scholarship sum was boosted by 50 percent to US$1,000 (J$150,000) per student, complemented by a US$3,500 (J$500,000) grant bestowed upon each school for forthcoming projects.
Foundation to honor two Jamaican luminaries
The Foundation is gearing up for its annual fundraising gala, scheduled for Saturday, February 17th, at the Atrium of the National Education Association Building in Washington DC.
The event, graced by the esteemed patronage of Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey P. Marks, will pay tribute to two luminaries in the spheres of science and sports: Dr. Henry Lowe and Lorne Donaldson.
Dr. Lowe, a distinguished cancer researcher, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, will be lauded for his remarkable contributions to the sciences, science education, and his exemplary public service to the Jamaican diaspora and beyond.
Meanwhile, Mr. Donaldson, a stalwart in sports, will be celebrated for his exceptional efforts in fostering the development of girls' and women's football (soccer) in Jamaica and the United States.
Christopher Hunt, Chairman of the Foundation, reaffirmed the organization’s steadfast commitment to its mission of providing scholarships to deserving students at KC and Calabar.
“As we anticipate the gala and beyond, the David 'Wagga' Hunt Foundation remains a beacon of hope, a facilitator of dreams, and a testament to our collective ability to shape a brighter future for our youth,” he remarked. “It’s a celebration of progress, of lives enriched through education and support, and of our unwavering belief in every student’s potential to achieve greatness.”
