"One UWI, One Alumni Family" 

A Scotiabank top management team visited the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the UWI Mona campus on March 10, 2023, in order to see firsthand the results of their investment in student scholarships, given annually at the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards. 

Ms. Anya Schnoor, Executive Vice President, Scotiabank, Caribbean, Central America and Uruguay; 

Mrs. Audrey Tugwell Henry, President and CEO, Scotia Group Jamaica; Mr. Morris Nelson, Senior Vice President, Corporate & Commercial Banking and Mrs. Yanique Forbes Patrick, VP Public Affairs and Communications represented Scotiabank, which has been supporting the UWI Toronto Gala for over 14 years. Danielle Savory and Jediael Carter Stewart were also a part of the Scotiabank team. Professor Dale Webber CD, Principal of the UWI Mona Campus and Professor Minerva Thame, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, gave the Scotiabank team a tour of the UWI Medical Sciences & Research Complex, accompanied and Mrs. Celia Davidson Francis, Director of Alumni Relations for The UWI, Institutional Advancement Division. They then met with 18 scholarship recipients, and received messages of appreciation from two of the recipients, Ms. Rianna Gibbs and Mr. Isaac Dunkley, on behalf of all of the awardees. 

In her Remarks, Ms. Anya Schnoor underscored Scotiabank’s commitment to the Caribbean region and developing its future leaders. She noted that Scotiabank was happy to support the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards and that she was delighted to meet these medical students who will contribute to the health care of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean community. Professor Dale Webber shared that The UWI’s strategic goals are focused on access, alignment and agility and noted that Scotiabank’s commitment to support UWI students improves the University’s capacity to provide access.” Professor Minerva Thame noted that Scotiabank’s investment in young medical students helps them reach their potential. She thanked Scotiabank immensely for their corporate sponsorship which allows medical students to experience the incredible benefits of higher education. Mrs. Davidson Francis noted that the Executive Director of the Institutional Advancement Division (IAD), Mrs. Elizabeth Buchanan Hind, who is responsible for the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards was unable to be there, but emphasized that the IAD was very pleased with this industry-academic partnership. Mrs. Davidson Francis also highlighted that three members of the visiting Scotiabank team were themselves Scotiabank Scholars and UWI alumni: Yanique Forbes Patrick, Morris Nelson and Danielle Savory. This demonstrates Scotiabank’s recognition that investment in tertiary education not only prepares graduates who may join its own corporate structure, but also contribute to Jamaican and Caribbean societies in many fields. The 2023 Toronto Benefit Awards will be held on April 29^th.

Further information on the event can be obtained at https://uwitorontogala.org/