Jamaican students at Howard University receive US$150,000 in scholarships

The sprawling Wellspring Manor & Spa in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, provided an elegant setting on Saturday, Sept. 19, as Jamaican students at Howard University, university officials, Jamaican alumni, business leaders and friends of Jamaica gathered to celebrate academic excellence and raise support for the next generation of Jamaican scholars.

The occasion was the seventh annual HUes of Blue fundraising reception, hosted by the Jamaica Howard University Affinity Network (JHUAN), an organization dedicated to supporting Jamaican students at Howard University through scholarships, mentorship, networking and professional development.

Thirty students of Jamaican heritage attending Howard University received scholarships of US$5,000 each, representing a total of US$150,000 in financial assistance. The scholarships were presented by JHUAN President and Chairman Don Christian, who also serves on the Howard University Board of Trustees. Recipients were required to be of Jamaican birth or parentage, maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and be enrolled full-time at Howard. For Christian, however, the evening represented much more than the presentation of scholarships.

Since its establishment in 2018, JHUAN has grown into a community-driven initiative focused on ensuring that deserving Jamaican students at Howard have access to financial assistance, mentorship, professional networks and career development opportunities.

Christian said the organization’s latest figures, presented at the event, show that JHUAN has awarded 145 scholarships, 19 freshman fellowships and five Finish Line awards, representing a total of US$642,500 in assistance.

He said the organization’s work is particularly important because the need for financial support continues to grow.

“We have a 100 per cent graduation rate, yet we have an underserved population because there are over 100 students with average GPAs of 3.7 that we were not able to provide any support for,” Christian said. “So we are on a mission. We have a community and a movement that’s designed to connect and find any way possible through scholarships, networking and other forms of support to assist these Jamaican students who are so deserving, so talented.”

Christian said JHUAN’s mission extends beyond providing financial assistance. The organization, he said, seeks to build a network that connects students with mentors, professionals and opportunities that can help them succeed at Howard and in their careers after graduation.

“As an alumnus who has benefited greatly from Howard University, it is important that we look for ways to support our academic institutions and pay it forward,” he said. “JHUAN exists to inspire our students to dream more, learn more and become more.”

He also emphasized the importance of recognizing Jamaicans whose professional achievements and community service can inspire the younger generation.

This year’s JHUAN IMPACT Awards were presented to Devon Bryan, co-founder of Cyversity, formerly the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, and Trevor Heaven, chairman of the Board of Directors of Future Energy Source Company Limited (FESCO) in Jamaica.

Christian said the two honorees represent the type of role models JHUAN wants Jamaican students to see and learn from.

“When you look at what those gentlemen have done in community, in scholarship, in education, supporting schools, supporting young people, that is the type of role models that we think are important to showcase to our kids,” he said.

He added that the awards provide students with an opportunity to interact directly with accomplished Jamaican professionals and learn from their experiences.

The programme also honored Lisa Brown Alexander, owner of Wellspring Manor & Spa, with the Trailblazer Award. Brown Alexander, a Howard University alumna, and her husband, Kevin Alexander, hosted this year’s reception at their expansive Upper Marlboro property.

Brown Alexander has also been a major supporter of the JHUAN scholarship initiative. Last year, she contributed US$100,000 to the scholarship fund, providing significant support for the organization’s efforts to assist Jamaican students at Howard.

Christian expressed appreciation to the Alexanders for their continued support and for making Wellspring Manor & Spa available as the venue for this year’s celebration.

“None of this would have been possible without the support of Lisa and Kevin Alexander, who are the grand hosts for us this year at the Wellspring Manor & Spa,” Christian said.

He described the property as a beautiful venue for recognizing the IMPACT Award recipients and supporters of the scholarship programme.

Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick also underscored the importance of scholarships for Jamaican students at the university. Frederick noted that the experience of international students at Howard differs from that of international students at many other institutions.

“When you look at international students coming to Howard, it is very different from the rest of higher education,” he said. “In most of higher education, those students are writing a check, and it’s a revenue, it’s a source of revenue for a university. That is not the case at Howard or with Jamaican students in particular.”

He said scholarships such as those provided through JHUAN are therefore particularly important to students.

“These scholarships are very, very important,” Frederick said. He pointed to the quality of Jamaican students at Howard and the contributions they can make in their chosen professions.

“I think they not only support the students, but you have very excellent students in very important fields who can go back to Jamaica or go anywhere in the world and really impact their field,” he said.

Frederick also praised Christian and the JHUAN committee for the vision behind the organization and its growth since its establishment.

“A lot of kudos to the committee, obviously to Mr. Christian, whose vision it was to start the organisation,” Frederick said. “I think it has grown very nicely, but more importantly, it has benefited the students so significantly.”

“I hope that it continues to grow, and I hope more people continue to support them,” he added.

The programme also featured the presentation of the Bancroft S. Gordon Scholarship Awards to Shaneal Mitchell and Blayne Montaque.

The award was established in honor of the late Bancroft S. Gordon, a Howard University alumnus and former football player, and recognizes outstanding achievement in athletics, academics, leadership and community engagement.

The HUes of Blue reception has become JHUAN’s flagship fundraising initiative, bringing together members of the Jamaican diaspora, Howard alumni, university leadership, business executives and friends of Jamaica in support of educational opportunities.

Christian said the organization’s goal is to ensure that deserving Jamaican students are not overlooked because of financial circumstances. The need, he said, is significant, with academically strong Jamaican students continuing to seek assistance.

Through scholarships, mentorship, networking and professional development, JHUAN is working to create a stronger support system for Jamaican students at Howard and encourage them to use their education and professional success to give back to Jamaica and their communities.

The gathering at Wellspring Manor & Spa was therefore not only a celebration of the 30 scholarship recipients but also a reaffirmation of the Jamaican community’s commitment to education, achievement and the continued development of young Jamaicans.

As Christian told the gathering, JHUAN’s mission is to inspire students to “dream more, learn more and become more.”