CTO Awards Record Number of Grants

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. October 14, 2008

July 12, 2006. The CTO Foundation, the scholarship program of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), is this year granting a record amount in scholarships and grants.

These assist Caribbean nationals pursue tourism/hospitality studies, as well as those seeking to gain proficiency in a second language. The Foundation is awarding six scholarships and 10 study grants to the tune of US$72,000, the largest amount of funding ever granted since the inception of the scholarship program in 1998.

Scholarships ranging from US$6,000 to US$14,000 -- plus airline tickets on American Airlines for those studying in the United States and the United Kingdom -- were granted to Amanda Charles of Dominica, Diana Maldonado of the Dominican Republic, Nicole Johnson-Young of Jamaica, Faylene Scrubbs of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Jala Bernard and Brent Smith of Trinidad and Tobago.

All six are studying at the Masters level in various tourism related disciplines: Charles is pursuing an MSc in Tourism Administration at George Washington University; Maldonado is completing her MSc in Hospitality Management at Florida International University; Johnson-Young is at Oxford Brooks University for a degree in Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management; Scrubbs is attending the University of Surrey for an MSc on Tourism Planning and Development; Bernard is doing her MSc in Human Resource Management for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry at the University of Strathclyde; and Smith is at the University of Surrey for an MSc in Tourism Planning and Development.

The recipients of the study grants are pursuing different levels of certification in tourism/hospitality and proficiency in a second language.

"These are all very deserving candidates whom we are confident will not only make the Caribbean proud, but will make significant contributions to the sustainable development of the region after completing their areas of study," said Bonita Morgan, the CTO's director of human resources.

Ms. Morgan explained that the CTO Foundation would have liked to offer even more scholarships because of the number of deserving candidates but sourcing the funding remained a challenge.

She added that the CTO was exploring other scholarship opportunities that the region can tap into, like the Florida Caribbean Scholarship Program and other such opportunities.

"We have a large number of talented people out there whom we would like to grant scholarships opportunities to but the funds are limited. However, we are exploring creative ways to stretch those funds and to secure other scholarship opportunities for Caribbean nationals," Ms. Morgan stated.

The CTO Foundation, set up in 1997, is registered in New York State as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, formed exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Its main aim is to provide scholarships and study grants to students and industry personnel who are Caribbean nationals, from CTO-member countries, who wish to pursue studies in the areas of tourism/hospitality and language training. The Foundation supports individuals who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement and leadership potential and who express a strong interest in making a contribution to Caribbean tourism.

Since its inception, the CTO Foundation has provided 32 major scholarships and 74 study grants. Major CTO Foundation sponsors include American Express, American Airlines, Interval International, Universal Media, the CTO chapters worldwide and numerous CTO allied members.

Information on the CTO Scholarship Program and a list of scholarship and grant recipients can be found at http://pull.xmr3.com/p/335-EB40/21106360/http-www.onecaribbean.org-.html. The Caribbean Tourism Organization The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and marketing operations in New York, London and Toronto, is the Caribbean's tourism development agency and comprises membership of over 30 governments and a myriad of private sector entities.

The CTO's mission is to provide to and through its members, the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.

The organization provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, information technology and sustainable tourism development. The CTO disseminates information on behalf of its member governments to consumers and the travel trade.