THE 15th Annual UWI (University of the West Indies) Toronto Benefit Awards will celebrate the 2024 honorees at its fund-raiser, in support of scholarships for Caribbean students, on Saturday April 20th at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

CBC Toronto news anchor Dwight Drummond will emcee the sold-out gala affair hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI), with Scotiabank as lead sponsor for the 15th-consecutive year.

The awards ceremony will see performances from Juno Award-winning singer Divine Brown; soul singer Aion Clarke; Toronto’s finest rhythm sections Fiyah Brigade; tenor and soprano saxophone player Miles Raine and his band The Collective; along with The SwizzleStick Theatre troupe of stilt performers.

“The UWI Toronto Benefit Awards has provided 850 scholarships and bursaries to Caribbean students over the years,” said Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, executive director of the university’s Institutional Advancement Division.

“We know that education is the pathway to success, as is evident with those who graduated and have gone on to great careers because they were able to attend The University of West Indies and get a world-class education,” added Buchanan-Hind.

Primary sponsors for this year’s event include Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Sprott Inc, The Hibbert Family Foundation, and BDO.

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

The usual patrons of The UWI Toronto Benefit Awards are Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Andrew Chang, Brigette Chang, with Kevin Hibbert and Ann-Marie Hibbert joining them this year.

Lighting the Way Together demonstrates how community donations, financial support and inspiration provide a lifeline to students eager to fulfil their educational dreams.