CFVI Awards more than $375,000 in 2018 Academic Scholarships and Scholar Grants to VI Students
U.S. Virgin Islands– The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) is pleased to announce that $377,181 in 222 academic scholarships and scholar grants has been awarded to 179 graduate, undergraduate and vocational students throughout the Territory. In addition to CFVI’s annual academic scholarships funded by CFVI donors, funding was made available from the Fund for the Virgin Islands (FFVI) to provide scholar grants to students that were directly impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Thanks to CFVI donors, scholarships have been made available to students for more than 20 years. To date, CFVI has awarded nearly $3 million in academic scholarships to approximately 1,000 Virgin Islands students.
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Foundation recognized that many students and their families would be faced with a number of challenges that could potentially delay a student’s ability to pursue post-secondary education. In response to those critical needs, the Community Foundation expanded its application eligibility requirements by making applications available to students that were displaced by the storms. Additional outreach was made to students, parents and education administrators throughout the Territory to ensure that students were made fully aware of this opportunity. In addition to extending the application deadline, the Community Foundation also hosted Saturday workshops on St. Croix and St. Thomas for applicants that had limited access to technology to complete pending scholarship applications.
Due to the generosity of CFVI donors, 179 Virgin Islands students will receive financial support to attend schools such as Cornell College, George Washington University, Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of the Virgin Islands. CFVI scholarships and grant awards range from $700-$8,000.
The FFVI Scholar Grants were made available through donations to the Fund for the Virgin Islands (FFVI). This Fund was established at the Community Foundation just days after Hurricane Irma’s arrival in the Territory. The purpose of the Fund is to provide monies for critical needs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, both to support short-term relief efforts and to enhance the well-being of future generations.
A total of $250,000 in FFVI Scholar Grants was awarded to 158 students to assist with additional education expenses. Grantees were selected based on the student’s financial need and their direct response to questions within the application about the impact of the storms on their personal and academic lives.
D’Briault Atemazem, the 2018 Anna Green Walsh Scholarship and an FFVI Scholar Grant recipient, expressed his gratitude for receiving these awards. “Thanks to the Community Foundation, students like me are able to pursue their dreams of higher education!” Atemazem is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
“We are honored to announce that the 2018 scholarship cycle represents the largest scholarship amount CFVI has awarded in a single year,” said CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown. “Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our donors, CFVI was able to provide much needed financial support to our students during this very challenging year.”
In 2018 CFVI administered two new scholarship funds, the Making a Difference (M.A.D.) Scholarship and the Good Hope Country Day School Scholarship. If your organization or business is interested in awarding scholarships next year, please consider establishing a scholarship fund at the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands. The scholarship application, review and award process is managed by the Foundation. All you need to do is name your fund and begin fundraising for 2019!
Henry Wheatley, founder of the Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship Fund and longtime CFVI supporter, has been awarding scholarships for over 20 years! The Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship Fund was established in 1997 in honor of his late wife. Each year a student at the University of the Virgin Islands who exhibits passion for community service receives a full-tuition scholarship for one academic year. “It has been such a rewarding experience to be able to provide academic scholarships to our young scholars,” said Wheatley. “I encourage others to consider establishing a scholarship fund at the Community Foundation as an investment in the future of the Virgin Islands.”
Thanks to CFVI Angels, scholarship funds at CFVI are operated without any administrative fees. Angels are CFVI donors that make an annual gift of $500 or more to the Foundation. Because of our Angels’ generosity, one hundred percent of scholarship funds will continue to benefit students’ academic commitments.
In the upcoming week, the Community Foundation will be launching its Scholar Spotlight series. Interviews with our scholarship and scholar grant recipients will be available on CFVI’s website and the following social media platforms:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CFVirginIslands
Instagram: www.instagram.com/CommunityFounVI
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CommunityFounVI
YouTube: https://bit.ly/CFVIYouTube
CFVI scholarships are managed at cfvi.fluidreview.com. The list of all recipients and their awards is available below. For more information, contact Khadija de Lagarde, CFVI Grants and Programs Manager at kdelagarde@cfvi.net.
2018 Academic Scholarships/ FFVI Scholar Grant Recipients
| Recipient | Scholarship/ Grant | Island |
| K’Nesha Thomas | Alexander A. Farrelly Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| D’Briault Atemazem
|
Anna Greene Walsh Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| George Francis II | Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Aaliyah Babrow
|
CAHS Class of 1951 Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Linae Daniel | CAHS Class of 1951 Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Najae Harris | CAHS Class of 1951 Scholarships
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Jernijah Isaac | Coral World Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Keren Gonzalez | Good Hope Country Day Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Jenia Augustine | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Iris Battiste | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Amal Bryson | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Alex Cintron | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Shaquanee Fenton
|
Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Jalen Francis | Heavy Materials Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Ammiel Francis | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix
|
| Adonis Fung | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Ajani Gordon | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Estelle Jules | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Lakeysha Murray | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Chanae Ottley | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Malachi Peterson | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Jada Romer | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Kadysha Schoonmaker | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Jenisha Stapleton | Heavy Materials Scholarship | St. Thomas
|
| Jeanna Sujanani | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Jasmine Turbe | Heavy Materials Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Chelsea Valery | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Esther Wood | Heavy Materials Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Joash Lake (2015) | Isaac and Rebecca Paiewonsky Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Tommy Wise (2016) | Isaac and Rebecca Paiewonsky Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Diamond Lewis (2017) | Isaac and Rebecca Paiewonsky Scholarship | St. Thomas
|
| Gwendeline Pimentel (2018) | Isaac and Rebecca Paiewonsky Scholarship
Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Gia Freeman | Junior Angels Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Addis Miller | Kitty-Koenig Probyn Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Ammal Abdullah | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Jeremy Bellot | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Schneider Bredy | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Kisha Coulanges | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Briana Cromwell | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship
Making a Difference Scholarship FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Briana Fuertes | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Twanique Gordon | Kyms Kids Caribbean Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Jan-Alexis Barry (Graduate) | Lana Vento Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Nirisha Commodore (Graduate) | Lana Vento Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Jendayi Edmeade (Graduate) | Lana Vento Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Lisa Ekpo (Graduate) | Lana Vento Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Nisha Hodge (Graduate) | Lana Vento Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Shamyah Joseph | Next Generation Scholar Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Angelina Prince (Graduate) | NSL Graduate Studies Fund Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Ella Barr | Prior Family Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Isis Collier | Prior Family Foundation Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas
|
| Hezekiah George | Prior Family Foundation Scholarship | St. Thomas |
|
Keshawn Hardy |
Prior Family Foundation Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Croix |
| Jahkyra Carrington | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Tasha Freeman-Arnold (Wheatley Skills Center) | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Ketura Harrigan | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Lakesha Hillhouse (Wheatley Skills Center) | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship | St. Thomas
|
| LeeAnn Horsford | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship | St. Thomas
|
| Shenice Labadie | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas
|
| Juchara Margetson | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship | St. Thomas
|
| Aria Rawlings | Senator Marvin A. Blyden Scholarship | St. Thomas |
| Briana John-Baptiste | Theodore E. Sharp Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
| Ja’Viere Morris | Tunick Family Fund Scholarship
FFVI Scholar Grant |
St. Thomas |
2018 FFVI Scholar Grant Recipients
| Michelle Adams (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Briana Adams (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Jakeem Adrien | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Amber Alcindor | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Uricka Alexander | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Himoi Andrew | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Laurie Armstrong | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ariana Athanase | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Lemiah Bates | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Elizabeth Beck (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Churon Bernier | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Brianna Berry | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Julian Bishop | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ali Boucenna | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Rysa Bryan | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| VerNele Callwood | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Michael Caracciolo | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Sh’Nae Carr | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Pooja Chainani | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Rayann Charlery | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Desla Charlery (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Chinique Charles | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| C’aylah Charleswell | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Hilrianna Chooran | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Amber Clark | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Ashley Clendenen | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Danielle Coleman | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Isis Collier | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kaitlyn Cummings | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Mecca Danet (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kayla Daniel | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Delva Daniel | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Zion Esprit | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Crystal Fahie | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Suleika Farquhar | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Kishelle Francis | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Amos Francis | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Louisa Fredey (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Lester Frett | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Nina Garcia (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Karen Gauriloff | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Addison Georges Jr. | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Soleil Gessner | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Samuel Gittens Jr. | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Afifa Gordon | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Thelca Guishard Bedminster (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas
|
| Adesha Gumbs | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas
|
| P’Azhae Harrigan | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Harris Aaron | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Osayande Herelle | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Micah Hill | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Jordan Huyghue | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Tyler James | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Sardline Jean | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Nisha Jones (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Summer Jose | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Serena Joseph (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Jahdel Jules (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Nafeesa King | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Leeann Knight | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Shareen Lang (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ronald Lee | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| NiQuay-Imanie Leonard | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Dalissa Lettsome | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| De’Umee Liburd | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kima Lloyd-Jarvis (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Tekettay Ludvig | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Vanshika Lulla | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Julisa Marcel (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Sparkle Mark | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Diamond Mark | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ashlee Martinez | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Brianna Matthew | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Charmaine Mayers (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Marina Meersman | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Adonis Mercedes | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ayana Milligan-de Lugo (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thonas |
| Varuna Mirchandani | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Elyse Mitchell | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Sylvana Montealegre Hutchins | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Carissa Moses | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Tywreh Nelson | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Denali Nicholas | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ashante Norville | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Shirmara O’Garro | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Naomi Papin | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Sidharth Parwani | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Ilive Peltier (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Ajayi Pickering-Haynes | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Dumoi Pole | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Rashida Powell | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Angelina Prince (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Faith Prosper | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Reata Randolph | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Chasen Richards | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Sumaiyah-Nadira Richardson | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Akima Richardson | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Tsedek Roberts (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Loron Robles | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Tanya Rodriguez | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Luz Santiago | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Ly’Nese Setorie | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Khnuma Simmonds-Esannason (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Riisa Simon | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Krystal Singh | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Zohar Sofer-Greer | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Aliyia St. John | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. John |
| Kimo St. Luce | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Mark Sterling | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Shelomoth Stoutt | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Aleisha Thomas | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Kimberly Todman (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kyanna Torrens | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Croix |
| Sheeniqua Venzen | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Love Djaline Vergland | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kayana Walters (Graduate) | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Kayla Webster | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |
| Sherwin Williams | FFVI Scholar Grant | St. Thomas |