The Anguilla Community College is the recipient of US$15,000 – from the Chamber of Commerce & Industry – for its scholarship fund. The money is for the funding of scholarship awards to eligible students to pursue studies leading to the Associate Degree in business or tourism/hospitality.
The money was raised from the annual Starry Night Dinner/Dance, and the annual Golf Tournament, the Chamber’s main two funding-raising events, according to Mrs Wilma Broaden.
President of the Chamber, Mr Keithley Lake, presented a symbolic cheque for the above sum to Professor Delroy Louden, President of the Anguilla Community College.
Mr Lake was delighted that the Chamber had the opportunity to assist deserving students through the scholarship fund which now stands at over US$31,000.“I think it has become more important than ever because we have been hearing reports that not everybody who should be taking advantage of the Community College is doing so,” he observed. “The Chamber thinks that in this small way we can make it feasible for deserving Anguillian students to take advantage of this opportunity.”
He continued: “The Chamber realises that an educated business community is one of the key tenets by which local businesses will take their proper place in the economic development of this island. From the very beginning, the Chamber has pioneered a number of courses in various business initiatives for small businesses and now, with the coming of the Anguilla Community College, that can be done on a much bigger, broader and better scale. This scholarship, and its fundraising activities, will become one of the major focuses by the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We want to see our young people have the opportunity to take their rightful place in business.”
Mr Lake added: “Dr Louden, we want to commend you and the Anguilla Community College for doing all the things you do… It seems that there is always some new programme – not only for people who want to get into business but allowing people who are in business to further expand their skills. I understand that certification is just around the corner and this is great; and the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry will do as much as it can to make it possible for deserving Anguillians [to obtain scholarships]”.
Professor Louden replied that since he assumed responsibility for the Community College, the Chamber had been on board in support of its development. “Today, you have addressed one of the central tenets for us which is sustainability,” he continued. “It is not enough to provide [courses], but to sustain them over the long run, sending a systematic message of the role of education and making the linkage with commerce and industry. For that, we are eternally grateful for your continued support. In particular, we are grateful for how you have encouraged other industry partners to come on board, following your example.”
Professor Louden asked the Chamber to assist the college – with other industry partners – to encourage more young Anguillians to the local institution. “There is a very important secret about the Community College and I think that people are missing it: we are small, we give individual attention, and we can meet your needs in a cost-effective way,” he explained. “What is even more remarkable is that we are very good at linkages and collaborations so, in terms of your next step in your career,….if you want to go on elsewhere, we have those linkages and collaborations to facilitate you moving forward.”
