The honorees of the 15th annual University of West Indies (UWI) Toronto Benefit Awards 2024 have been revealed ahead of the gala fundraising event in support of scholarships for Caribbean students.

Set to take place on Saturday April 20, 2024 at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 181 Wellington Street, Toronto at 5:30pm EST, the gala affair is hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI), which is ranked among the world’s best universities.

Scotiabank is the lead sponsor for the 15^th consecutive year. Primary sponsors for this year’s event include Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Sprott Inc., the Hibbert Family Foundation, and BDO.

The UWI Toronto Benefit Awards has awarded 800 scholarships. 

Under this year’s theme, ‘Lighting the Way Together’, this not-to-be missed night on the Toronto social calendar cultivates a high-profile guestlist of corporate executives, public personalities and  community members committed to giving back to the Caribbean diaspora. 

Here’s the list of the 2024 honorees:

• Luminary Award: The Honourable Hugh L. Fraser, O.C., FCIArb., CollArb, OLY – mediator, arbitrator and human rights activist
• G. Raymond Chang Award: Raj Kothari, FCPA, FCA, MBA – business leader and humanitarian
• Chancellor’s Award: Air Canada – Global Organization serving the Caribbean
• Vice Chancellor’s Award: Dr Pamela Appelt, OD – Court of Canadian Citizenship Justice (Ret.), Humanitarian; Stanley J. Julien – head, Special Accounts Management Unit – Canada, BMO Bank of Montreal, business and diversity, equity and inclusion leader; Deland Kamanga, CFA – group head, BMO Wealth Management, financial specialist and philanthropist; Dr Claudette McGowan – chief executive officer, Protexxa, global cybersecurity leader and human rights activist.

The patrons of the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards are: Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Andrew Chang, Brigette Chang. Joining them this year are: Kevin Hibbert and Ann-Marie Hibbert, both passionate supporters of higher education and the UWI Student Scholarship Fund. Hibbert was a recipient of the 2023 Vice Chancellor’s Award.  

‘Lighting the Way Together’ demonstrates how together, community donations, financial support and inspiration provides a lifeline to students eager to fulfill their educational dreams.