KINGSTON, Jamaica—Orville Levy is no stranger to representing Jamaica, from speaking on behalf of the nation’s youth at high-level United Nations (UN) political forums, to serving his fellow citizens as a justice of the peace (JP).

This history of service and his stellar academic achievements gave the mechanical engineer an edge, leading to his selection as one of 17 Jamaicans who were awarded Chevening scholarships for 2025.

Levy, who will be embarking on studies in the United Kingdom (UK) in the fall semester, tells JIS News that he has always wanted to pursue a Chevening scholarship and set out to gain the required work experience after his undergraduate studies.

Having secured the scholarship, Levy is hopeful that through his studies, he will garner knowledge and make connections that will enhance his ability to contribute to Jamaica’s infrastructural goals.

“I am big on infrastructure development and economic advancement through sustainable development, and so being equipped with an MBA in engineering management will afford me the ability to not just drive that change from the hands-on front, working directly in the industry, but also from a policy front,” the Chevening scholar says.

He notes, further, that as a member of the Caribbean Young Professional Network, he does not only want to drive change nationally, but also regionally.

Levy points out that a part of the mission he plans to embark on is to drive Jamaica’s energy transition to a greener, more inclusive nation.

“To be able to drive meaningful change locally, [we must] look at the inhibitors to our development, and one of those is the cost of electricity. More needs to be done in terms of other renewable forms of energy introduction within the system, upgrading our grid to ensure that it works for everybody… energy transformation is going to be required… . These are some of the things that I hope to learn more about and to be able to come back and exploit,” Levy outlines.

“I went to Old Harbour High School. Moving from there, I went to the University of Technology where I studied for a Bachelor of Engineering, in Mechanical Engineering… . The Chevening [programme] has been something that I’ve always wanted to do, in fact, before I even completed my undergraduate [studies],” he shares.

The Chevening scholar notes that his first and second applications for the scholarship were unsuccessful, but he was not deterred from achieving the goal he had set in his early years at university.

“I ended up on the reserve list two years in a row…[but] I was determined I guess… and so I went ahead, and I applied again, and this time I ended up going all the way through,” Levy says.

“Sometimes we knock on a door, and we don’t get an immediate response… . There is a reason, and as a person of faith, I think that the Lord allows us to wait on certain things. Maybe because you’re not ready yet, maybe because you’re not equipped yet, or maybe because there’s a little that you need to learn in terms of patience,” he surmises, while encouraging aspiring scholars who were not successful on their first attempt not to give up.

As he embarks on his studies in the UK, he hopes his story of perseverance and hard work will inspire young Jamaicans with big dreams.

“I just want to say, especially to Jamaican youth, do not limit yourself based on your circumstances. I grew up in a single-parent household. I didn’t come from strong financial foundations. I went to Old Harbour High School, not a traditional high school. There are days when I never had funds… at the secondary level… at the tertiary level [but] I managed,” he tells JIS News.

“So, I would encourage anyone who you know is from difficult financial backgrounds, to not be deterred by the realities of where you are and what persons might be saying about you, or the mere fact that it hasn’t been done before. Stay true to you, do your research, get the information… and create the success that you want to see for you and your family,” Levy encourages.

The Chevening Scholarship is an international scholarship, funded by the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations, that enables foreign students to study at universities in the United Kingdom.

-JIS