Gore Family Foundation Awards $2.4 Million in Scholarships to UTech, Jamaica Students
Mr. Brandon Burke (back row left), Special Projects Manager, Gore Family Foundation, and Professor Garfield Young (back row right), Dean, Faculty of the Built Environment join students from the University of Technology, Jamaica’s Caribbean School of Architecture (CSA) and the School of Building and Land Management (SBLM) within the Faculty of the Built Environment as they display their symbolic scholarship cheques from Gore Family Foundation following an official handing over ceremony on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at Lecture Theatre 49, Shared Facilities Building, Papine Campus. Scholarships valued at $2.4 million were presented by the Gore Foundation under the Nadine Isaacs Memorial Scholarship Programme to CSA students and through the Gore Development Limited Scholarship Programme to SBLM students.
Renowned Construction giant, Gore Development Limited, through its philanthropic arm, the Gore Family Foundation, presented ten students of the University of Technology, Jamaica’s Faculty of The Built Environment with scholarships valued at $2.4 million on Thursday, January 18, 2024, during a formal handing over ceremony held at the Shared Facilities Building at the UTech, Jamaica Papine Campus.
The scholarships were presented to seven students from the Caribbean School of Architecture (CSA) and three students pursuing diploma courses at the School of Building and Land Management (SBLM).
Scholarship Awardees, Ms. Khristina Godffrey, Ms. Josan Spooner, Ms. Allana Graham, Ms. Jade Foster, Mr. Asa Saunders and Mr. Ajala Kings all from the Caribbean School of Architecture, received scholarships valued at $250,000 each under the E. Nadine Issacs Memorial Scholarship Programme. One additional scholarship under the programme, valued at $150,000 was presented to Ms. Brittney Byfield, also a student from the CSA. The SBLM student awardees, Mr. OKene Paisley, Mr. Horrace Binns and Ms. Janneshia Young received their awards under the Foundation’s diploma scholarship programme for Construction Management.
In his address during the awards ceremony, Dean, Faculty of The Built Environment, Professor Garfield Young expressed sincere gratitude to the Gore Family Foundation “for its relentless support” of UTech, Jamaica students “through the provision of scholarships and bursaries” over the years. Professor Young commended the Gore Family Foundation for also recognizing “the importance of cross-sectoral collaborative efforts” adding that the organization “has maintained its longstanding commitment to the CSA and the SBLM over the years.” He noted too that “Gore’s involvement also signifies its commitment to national development, which cannot happen without education," and noted that many students struggle to stay in their programme due to lack of resources.
Prof. Young also thanked the organization for immortalizing the name and sterling contributions of the late E. Nadine Isaacs, first female Head of the Caribbean School of Architecture through the establishment and consistent funding of the memorial scholarship. He also congratulated the students for upholding excellent academic performances and their subsequent success of earning their scholarship awards. He made special mention of Architect Patrick Staniger, the first Dean of the School of Architecture who recently passed. A moment of silence was observed in his honour and in recognition of his sterling contribution to the architecture fraternity locally and regionally.
Architect Jacquiann Lawton, Head of the Caribbean School of Architecture who in her address gave an overview of the E. Nadine Isaacs Memorial Scholarship stated that the initiative “endows the spirit of architect Isaacs and inspires very high standards of each recipient.” She thanked the Gore Family Foundation for its unwavering support and for growing and extending the scholarship over the years.
Dr. Anetheo Jackson, Head, School of Building and Land Management also applauded the awardees on their successful accomplishment. Reiterating the point of the significance of education to national development, she told the student awardees, “we are looking on you to do even more for education in general, but also specifically for built environment education.” She stressed the need for having “the brightest minds at the table” in an effort to see responsible development as a nation and as a region and thanked the Foundation for helping to remove financial barriers which tend to impede this process for some students.
Special Projects Manager, Gore Family Foundation, Mr. Brandon Burke noted that the Foundation will continue to extend its support to UTech, Jamaica beyond the allocation of scholarships. “A big part of my mandate when I started working with the Foundation was to get in touch with past Gore scholars… involve you in the initiatives that we are working on” he shared, noting the Foundation’s commitment to playing an active role in the students’ academic and professional journey.
Two of the scholarship recipients, Mr. Ajala Kings and Ms. Josan Spooner who are both pursuing BA degrees in Architecture, expressed profound gratitude noting that the assistance received from the Gore Foundation has tremendously impacted their lives.
Kings shared, “starting I really knew that I would not be able to finish the journey on my own based on the limited funds that I had available. After receiving the scholarship for the first time in 2022 it boosted my morals…It allowed me to focus on why I am here and fully take part in the learning.”
Spooner noted that the scholarship “has had an incredibly big impact on me.” She added, “it is just a major breath of fresh air. I can focus on my studies…focus on getting As, because there is a difference between when I received the scholarship last year and when I hadn’t in terms of my grades,” explaining that her academic performance was below her standards then as she was not able attend school often due to financial burdens.
The Gore Family Foundation, since 2004 has been a committed sponsor of students at the Caribbean School of Architecture and the School of Building and Land Management. The Foundation has also provided work internship and full-time employment opportunities for students and graduates throughout its partnership with the institution.
Photo Highlights
Recipients of Gore Family Foundation’s Nadine Isaacs Memorial Scholarship from UTech Jamaica’s Caribbean School of Architecture are joined by representatives from the Faculty of the Built Environment and Gore Foundation for a celebratory photo following a scholarship handing over ceremony held at Lecture Theatre 49, Shared Facilities Building, Papine Campus on Thursday, January 18, 2024. From (l-r) are: Architect Julian Dixon, Programme Director, BA, Architectural Studies, Scholarship awardees, Ms. Brittney Byfield and Mr. Ajala Kings, Mr. Brandon Burke, Special Projects Manager, Gore Foundation, Architect Jacquiann Lawton, Head, Caribbean School of Architecture, Scholarship awardees, Ms. Allana Graham, Jade Foster, Ms. Khristina Godfrey, Mr. Asa Saunders and Ms. Josan Spooner along with Professor Garfield Young, Dean, Faculty of the Built Environment.
UTech, Jamaica recipients of the Gore Family Foundation Scholarship for the Construction Management diploma programme from the School of Building and Land Management, Mr. Okene Paisley (2nd left), Ms. Janneshia Young (2nd right) and Mr. Horace Binns (right) are joined for a celebratory photo by Prof. Garfield Young (left), Dean, Faculty of The Built Environment, Mr. Brandon Burke (3rd left), Special Projects Manager, Gore Family Foundation, Dr. Anetheo Jackson (centre), Head School of Building and Land Management and Ms. Meisha Paul (3rd right), Lecturer, BSc. in Architectural Technology. The students were among ten UTech, Jamaica awardees at a formal presentation ceremony held at Lecture Theatre 49, Shared Facilities Building at the institution’s Papine Campus where the Gore Family Foundation presented the academic scholarships valued at $2.4 million.
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