Sir Hilary Beckles (left), vice chancellor, The University of the West Indies (UWI), and Andrea McNish (third left), chief financial officer, The UWI, with members of the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) at a cheque presentation of $22.9m to The UWI for scholarships for students across The UWI campuses. From second left are Professor Hazel Carter, Dr Cyrus McCalla, Lorna Hawthorne, Lyenda Delp, George Willie, and Wayne Melbourne.

Dr McCalla, chairman of AFUWI, and members of the board visited Kingston from October 5-9 for their annual board retreat and a series of engagements with Sir Hilary, Professor Webber, faculty of The UWI, Mona, and past and current awardees of AFUWI scholarships.

The AFUWI, a designated 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organisation headquartered in the United States, raises funds through its flagship annual awards gala in New York and other fund-raising activities to fund scholarships to The UWI undergraduate programmes.

Several of the board members are donors and met with some of the students and past students whom they helped to realise their dreams of a university education.

At a reception hosted by Sir Hilary, McCalla presented a cheque for $22.9m to fund scholarships while Hawthorne presented one for $3.8m from the Lowell Hawthorne Foundation. Her late husband Lowell Hawthorne was a former chairman of the AFUWI.

Welcoming the visitors to his residence at College Commons, Sir Hilary said AFUWI has done a tremendous job of raising funds for scholarships for students of The UWI over 25 years.

“I want to thank Dr McCalla and the board for their selflessness in this regard. We respect you for your sacrifices, the efforts and hard work on behalf of our students. Our university, our students and our region have been the beneficiaries. You are not just the foundation ‘Up North’, you are family and we do not take you contributions for granted. As The UWI prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary we pause to acknowledge the goodness around us, those of you who dedicate your lives to giving.”

Added Hawthorne: “Our meeting with the students was most enlightening and gratifying. We heard their stories and how the scholarships helped them to reach their goals. The $3.8 million is the first donation from the Lowell Hawthorne Foundation Inc, set up in my late husband’s name. Supporting education was his passion.”