The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) officially presented the proceeds from its fundraising of US$75,000 to go towards scholarships for students of The University of the West Indies (The UWI).

The presentation was made on Sunday, October 29, at the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) and the AFUWI Jamaica Pro-Am Golf Tournament at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, Montego Bay, held in celebration of The University of the West Indies’ 75th anniversary Diamond Jubilee.

Themed ‘Jamaica Open Celebrates UWI 75’, the tournament featured “The UWI Break 75 Challenge”, an open event on Sunday, October 29, at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, Montego Bay. The title sponsor of this event was Deloitte, a leading global audit, consulting, tax, and financial advisory firm. Other sponsors included: EnCore Golf, Official Ball Sponsor; Associate Sponsors, Wisynco, ATL, Caribbean Producers Jamaica; Event Co-producer, JGA and Peter Chin, Immediate Past President.

In-kind sponsors were: The Kimberly Hotel, New York, Courtleigh Hospitality Group, JetBlue, Grace Foods, Jamaica Nice, Emirates Dental and Wayne Seaton. Volunteer Supporters: UWI Western Jamaica Campus, Dr. Patrick Prendergast, Campus Director – WJC and Dr. David McBean, Executive Director – Mona School of Business.

Dr Cyrus McCalla, chairman of the New York-based AFUWI, a designated IRS 501(c) 3 charitable non-profit organisation, noted: “The AFUWI is fully committed to supporting The UWI and the funds raised by the event as well as other fundraising events hosted by the AFUWI in the USA, will boost our annual scholarship programme, providing expanded opportunities for gifted students of modest means.”

The AFUWI ‘s fundraising events, including a black-tie awards gala in New York, annually provide funds for scholarships to the UWI in various disciplines to students across The UWI’s landed and virtual campuses.

Preceding the golf tournament, McCalla, AFUWI board members George Willie and Janet Rolle and Colin Duncan, managing director of Deloitte, participated in a “Masterclass” at the UWI Western Jamaica campus. They were welcomed by campus Executive Director Patrick Prendergast, who said “it is well-timed as The UWI is intensely focussed on student success and positive student experiences and wants to ensure that our students are given maximum exposure to real world situations”.

Deloitte, title sponsor of the golf tournament and a longtime supporter of the UWI campuses and initiatives across the region, thrives on capacity building and community development. Duncan referenced the firm’s long history of collaborating with UWI and its intent to foster similar initiatives in the Jamaica market.

“We hope to explore avenues to support and contribute to student development and share our experiences and knowledge. The JGA has an established track record of hosting top title tournaments, and we look forward to doing our part to support more students having the opportunity to achieve academic excellence at The UWI”.