The VM Foundation has strengthened its legacy of investing in education, awarding over J$8 million in scholarships and bursaries to 77 deserving students islandwide through its 2025 VM Scholars Programme. 

The awardees were recognised through ceremonies held in Kingston and St James on August 27 and in Manchester on August 28. 

Speaking at the ceremony hosted in Kingston at the VM Building Society (VMBS) Half-Way Tree branch, foundation CEO Samantha Charles noted that this year’s offerings reflect the ongoing commitment to expanding opportunities for Jamaica’s youth.

She shared: “Each year, we aim to go a little further than the last, opening a few more doors and investing in the dreams of a few more brilliant young minds, and this year is no different. I am happy we were able to step up our support from last year when we disbursed just under $7 million to 74 scholars. Among this year’s awards are a few new or expanded opportunities, including the addition of five tertiary bursaries, which we were not able to provide last year.”

In addition to these tertiary bursaries, this year’s support also included three junior plan scholarships and 62 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) bursaries awarded at the secondary level; six tertiary scholarships across different study areas including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the built environment; and the VM Pensioners’ Bursary also given to a student at the tertiary level. The kind donation of VM’s pensioners facilitated an increase in the value of this bursary from J$175,000 to J$200,000.

Scholars will also benefit from ongoing mentorship support, which has been a longstanding feature of the programme.  

The CEO reiterated: “We believe in full-scale transformation, and as such, we seek to go beyond just meeting the financial needs of our scholars.  This year, we will be partnering with Minds of Jamaica to ensure that every scholar has access to guidance and encouragement. Our tertiary scholars will be engaged through one-to-one mentorship sessions, and our PEP scholars through group mentorship sessions. While education opens the door to opportunities, mentorship provides the mental resources and confidence needed to walk boldly through it.”  

Scholarship recipients thanked VM for their work in helping to remove the financial barrier to access to education for needy students. 

The online scholarship portal received 442 applications this year, up from 308 last year, which Charles noted is a positive reminder that more young people are dreaming big, working hard, and believing that with the right support, their goals can become a reality.