Edward Khoury (right), CEO of the Jamaica Observer, congratulates the recipients of the Jamaica Observer Food Awards Scholarship, University of Technology students Rochelle Grindley (left), Kemar Morris (second left) and Annjeane Terrelonge (second right) yesterday. Sharing the moment is Karlene Gordon, a lecturer at the University of Technology. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Three well-deserving third-year students of the University of Technology's (UTech's) Hospitality and Tourism Management programme yesterday received Jamaica Observer Food Awards Scholarships valued at over $1 million.

The recipients - Kemar Morris, 23; Rochelle Grindley, 19; and Annjeane Terrelonge, 26 - were rendered speechless when they received the news that all three were selected, since they were previously informed that only two of them would have been chosen.

"I am really grateful right now," Morris told the Observer. "I am overjoyed by the fact that all my struggles up to final third year have not gone in vain."

The scholarship, which covers tuition and the costs of books, comes from the proceeds of the Jamaica Observer Food Awards which takes place May 29 at Vale Royal in Kingston.

Before being selected, all three candidates relayed heart-wrenching personal stories of how they struggled to cope financially with paying tuition and other school expenses.

"I can remember the morning I got the call (to say that I was accepted in the programme). It was seven o'clock in the morning, but I didn't even have the fare to take a bus to go to Papine to go and talk to them about my acceptance," Morris said, adding that he had to defer his acceptance because he could not afford the tuition.

UTech lecturer Karlene Gordon said the scholarships were greatly appreciated since most of the bursaries were only available to first-year students in the Hospitality and Tourism Management programme.

"We are so grateful. our students find it a great challenge to pay fees, so when a scholarship comes up it is welcomed," she said, adding that the Observer Food Awards Scholarship was recently listed among over 40 other official scholarships available to UTech students.

"The tuition is now $250,000 a year and it has gotten very heavy for them (students) to pay," said Gordon. "We feel it (the scholarship) helps them, especially in the food area where in the last year they do a lot of practical work on international cuisine. funded from their own pockets."

Yesterday, the Observer's lifestyle editor, Novia McDonald-Whyte, who initiated the scholarship programme and who conceptualised the annual awards, explained that the company decided to award all three candidates as a part of the awards' 10th anniversary celebrations. "After discussions with our CEO, Ed Khoury, it just seemed the right thing today," said McDonald-Whyte. "I'd like to encourage as many persons as possible to support the programme, as well as the awards on May 29."

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