An initiative by the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide tertiary education for a young and talented Anguillian student has paid off. The fortunate person isWykeisha Mills, a former student of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. She is the proud recipient of a full two-year scholarship at the Anguilla Community College to pursue an Associate Degree in Business Administration.
Ms Mills, the first student to receive the award, was presented with the Chamber’sScholarship Certificate on Tuesday, November 26. The scholarship amounts to a total cost of US$8,000. Mrs Wilma Broaden, Events Coordinator for the Chamber, was grateful to the Community College for assisting with the scholarship, as well as to the businesses and individuals who provided the funding.
The presentation was made by Mr Carlton Pickering, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce. He said there were two annual events which were used to raise funds to provide scholarships for school leavers, from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, to pursue studies in business administration and hospitality. Those events are the Starry Night Dinner Dance which funds the scholarship, and the annual golf tournament which assists in the training and development of small businesses.
“Our first scholarship recipient, Miss Wykeisha Mills, is today creating history and is a beacon to those who will follow in her path,” Mr Pickering stated. “The Board of Directors of the Chamber imagined funding a scholarship. Ideas began to flow and then there was the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Anguilla Community College. This was followed by creating sustainable ways in funding the scholarship and Starry Night was created and implemented – and this gave rise to the annual golf tournament.”
Mr Pickering added: “The Chamber will continue to be imaginative, to dream and be innovative so that young people likeWykeisha Mills can be assured of a bright and better future to pursue.”
Mrs Rhona Richardson-Roydon, President of the Board of Governors of the Community College, was grateful for the working relationship with the Chamber in partnering to educate the island’s young people. “This is what the college is about – assisting and sponsoring bright minds,” she stressed. “We hope that Miss Mills will be the start of this relationship. It has been long in coming. We were concerned that this scholarship was not being taken up. We hope, Miss Mills, that when your studies are completed, you will come back to us with all the knowledge that you have acquired and be a representative for us.”
Professor Delroy Louden, President of the Community College, said in part: “We are seeking to do our very best in attracting the youngest, the brightest and, at the same time, move the college ahead.” He told Miss Mills:
“One of the advantages of the Anguilla Community College is that because of our small class size, we can give much individual attention to you. The coaching is designed to go through your course work and assignments and you have a good and supportive staff and faculty around you to do that. That is a major accomplishment. We want you to become an ambassador for the Community College and the Chamber of Commerce.I hope that other young people will come forward and allow us to help them to find their future.”
Replying, Miss Mills had this to say: “I am delighted to be the recipient of this scholarship, and that the Chamber of Commerce and the Community College have established this scholarship for young persons like me. I wish to give a big thank you to the Chamber, with the assistance of the Community College, for providing me with the financial assistance as I pursue my studies towards obtaining an Associate Degree in Business Studies. I would also like to thank my Lord and Saviour for His blessings on my life and plans, my parents, grandparents, my little sister, and other family members and friends, for their continuous support.”
