#Kingston, October 6, 2018 – Jamaica – Eight tertiary students have received scholarships valued at $3.6 million from the Jamaica Flour Mills (JFM) Foundation and the Hart/Jacobs Scholarships, for the 2018/19 academic year.

The new JFM Foundation scholarship recipients are Shaniequa Brown, who will be pursuing a BSc. Accounting, University of the West Indies (UWI); Akeem Campbell, BSc. Actuarial Science, UWI; Andrew Hercules, B. Eng. Chemical Engineering at the University of Technology (UTech); Javier Bryan, BSc. Computer and Electronics, UWI; and Javian Hudson, BSc. Computer Science and Electronics, UWI.

Amanda Sturridge, BSc. Biochemistry, UWI, received the inaugural JFM Foundation Community Scholarship award.  The scholarship is open to university students residing within Kingston 2 communities.  The Hart/Jacobs Scholarships went to Rashida Willie, Bachelor of Pharmacy, UTech; and Tiffany Grant, BSc. General, UWI.

The scholarships, as well as gift baskets, were presented to the recipients during the JFM Foundation and Hart/Jacobs Scholarships 30^th anniversary awards luncheon, held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on October 4.  Up to the end of the 2017/2018 academic year, a total of $45 million had been disbursed to 235 scholarship awardees.

Minister of Health and past scholarship recipient, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, lauded the Jamaica Flour Mills for the initiative, adding that the programme provides much-needed assistance to students who are desirous of pursuing tertiary studies.  He urged the students to continue striving for excellence. “Determine that you can, if you put your mind to it,” he said.

Reminding them that their biggest risk to wealth is their health, Dr. Tufton encouraged the students to practise healthy lifestyle choices to minimise the risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which represent one of the biggest public health challenges globally in the 21^st century.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, in a message read by Advisor, Howard Chamberlain, lauded Jamaica Flour Mills Foundation for assisting students to reach their full potential.  He called on other companies to provide scholarship opportunities for children, particularly those who are pursuing studies in the STEM/STEAM disciplines.

Managing Director, Jamaica Flour Mills, Derrick Nembhard, said the Foundation has been positively impacting the nation through the recipients, who can be found in all areas of the society.

“We continue to provide quality products for the local and international markets and have been reformulating our cake and dough mixes to be in alignment with the reduced sugar guidelines set out by the Government of Jamaica,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Akeem Campbell expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Foundation for demonstrating corporate social responsibility over the years.

“To the Jamaica Flour Mills Foundation, appreciation comes not only from us, when we become the sort of persons that no one thought we would become, but our family members say thank you. When we become role models to onlookers, our communities say thank you. When we have contributed to Jamaica becoming the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business, Jamaica says thank you,” he said.

Funding for the scholarships is granted from the investment of an Endowment Fund financed by Jamaica Flour Mills Limited.

Jamaica Flour Mills Foundation was incorporated under the Companies Act on July 20, 1988. The objective of the Foundation is to assist qualifying Jamaican students in a tertiary-education programme in Jamaica and qualifying offshore institutions.

The Hart/Jacobs Scholarship Programme, which started in 1988, is an extension of the employees’ Education Assistance Benefit which provides assistance to children of persons employed full-time or assigned to Jamaica Flour Mills Limited. It was named for former Jamaica Flour Mills Chairman, Hugh Hart; and Director, Lenworth Jacobs.

Release: JIS

Contact: Chris Patterson

Photos by: Adrian Walker            

Photo Captions:

Header: Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left); Managing Director, Jamaica Flour Mills, Derrick Nembhard (right); and Chairman, Jamaica Flour Mills (JFM) Foundation, Professor Neville Ying (back row, third right), share a moment with this year’s recipients of the JFM Foundation and Hart/Jacobs Scholarships during an awards luncheon, held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on October 4. Dr. Tufton received the JFM Foundation scholarship in 1989.

First insert: Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, addresses the Jamaica Flour Mills (JFM) Foundation and Hart/Jacobs Scholarships 30^th anniversary awards luncheon, held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on October 4.

Second insert: Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left), is greeted by Chairman, Jamaica Flour Mills (JFM) Foundation, Professor Neville Ying (right), at the JFM Foundation and Hart/Jacobs Scholarships 30^th anniversary awards luncheon, held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew, on October 4. At centre is Managing Director, Jamaica Flour Mills, Derrick Nembhard. Dr. Tufton received the JFM Foundation scholarship in 1989.