THE JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation announced earlier this month that it will award up to $10 million in scholarships and bursaries to final-year students at local universities, in keeping with the foundation’s commitment to help individual tap into their greatness.

Patricia Sutherland, chairman of the foundation, outlined, “This annual scholarship programme builds on our mandate to transform lives and to empower individuals to realise their dreams. By so doing, we are living true to our late co-founder’s [Joan Duncan] mission to help ordinary Jamaicans to access opportunities to better themselves, their families and communities.”

The chairman further stated that in recognition of the social and economic challenges and current realities of increased cost for financing higher education, with many young people being severely hampered as they seek to transform their circumstances, the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation scholarship is largely need-based.

The primary beneficiaries of the scholarship programme are final-year undergraduate students, enrolled in degree programmes at local universities for the 2023/24 academic year, with the exception of dentistry, medical sciences, law, architecture and engineering. Additionally, individuals are selected based on their financial circumstances, academic performance, and involvement in extra-curricular activities or voluntary work in their schools and/or communities. Scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, books and/or other school-related expenses.

To apply for the foundation’s scholarship, interested individuals may visit its website at https://www.joanduncanfoundation.org/scholarships-and-educational-grants. Applications close May 31. “In addition to bridging the financial gap for students, the foundation also invites these recipients to participate in its Conversations for Greatness (CFG) programme, a transformational mindset initiative and its Leadership, Involvement and Innovation, Financial Literacy & Education (LIFE) accelerator programme, a career guidance and transformational workshop series. We have seen the positive outcomes from these programmes and we want to extend the benefits to all our recipients, thereby catering to our scholarship recipients in a holistic manner,” shared Kim Mair, CEO of the foundation.

This initiative is in keeping with JMMB Group’s commitment to be a responsible corporate social responsible citizen, with keen focus being placed on educational, entrepreneurial, environmentally conscious programmes and community projects, underpinned by transformation. Against this background, the foundation has given over $60 million in scholarships to approximately 250 students, in the last five years.