KINGSTON, JAMAICA – Ten students have been selected as recipients of the National Housing Trust’s (NHT) prestigious Construction Scholarship. The recipients were chosen from a competitive pool of over 210 applicants.
The scholarship awardees paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Dr. Andrew Holness, on Tuesday, April 8th. During the meeting, Prime Minister Holness expressed his satisfaction with the diverse fields of study represented by the group. These areas include Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Urban and Regional Planning, and Geographic Information Sciences, all of which Dr. Holness emphasised as critical for the nation's development and infrastructure needs.
“What the NHT is doing with this project is investing in you, the next generation of people who will build Jamaica,” the Prime Minister stated.
NHT Managing Director, Mr. Martin Miller, conveyed his pride in the selection of the students. He highlighted the importance of the NHT’s collaborations with various agencies in both the private and public sectors in facilitating the future integration of these talented individuals into their respective fields.
Following their meeting with the Prime Minister, the ten awardees attended a luncheon at the NHT’s head office, located at 4 Park Boulevard. This event provided a more intimate setting for the students to interact one-on-one with members of the NHT’s leadership team and staff.
One of the scholarship recipients, 19-year-old Sohnjaye Watson, a Bachelor of Engineering student in Civil Engineering, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. Articulating his long-held ambition to contribute to improvements in Jamaica’s drainage systems and roadways, the University of Technology student stated, “If you want to be the product of the environment, then you must build a better environment.”
The NHT's Construction Scholarship offers up to $1 million in funding to individual undergraduate students pursuing degrees in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Urban Planning, or related fields at either the University of Technology or the University of the West Indies for the 2024/25 academic year.
The ten recipients of the scholarships are:
• Damell Scott, 25, Civil Engineering, University of Technology
• Sohnjaye Watson, 19, Civil Engineering, University of Technology
• Xavier Wint, 21, Construction Management, University of Technology
• Jamal Denton, 21, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Technology
• Jannel Muirhead, 23, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Technology
• Analia Fonseca, 18, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Technology
• Kaydene Barrett, 23, Construction Management, University of Technology
• Okeil Francis, 23, Construction Management, University of Technology
• Tevin Hill, 21, Construction Management, University of Technology
• Victoria Menzie, 20, Land Surveying and Geographic and Information Sciences, University of Technology
Prime Minister the Most Honourable Dr. Andrew Holness (front row, centre) is all smiles during the courtesy call with the ten recipients of the NHT’s Construction Scholarship. Sharing in the moment are:
Scholarship recipients (front row, from left) Jamal Denton, Kaydene Barrett, Analia Fonseca, Jannel Muirhead, Sohnjaye Watson, Okeil Francis, Damell Scott, Victoria Menzie and Xavier Wint (second row, left)
Representing the NHT are (second row, left) Donnetta Russell, Assistant General Manager, Human Capital Management; Floret Kelly, Manager, Learning and Staff Development; Brian Saunders, Senior General Manager, Construction and Development; Neil Miller, Senior General Manager, Corporate Services and Martin Miller, Managing Director, Crystal Prince, Leaning and Staff Development Officer (third row left) and Merle Donaldson, NHT Board Director and Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister
Third Row, right - Alok Jain, Senior Consultant, Office of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister the Most Honourable Dr. Andrew Holness congratulated the scholarship recipients and took the opportunity to share a few words of wisdom and encouragement.
“If you want to be the product of the environment, then you must build a better environment.”
- Sohnjaye Watson,
Scholarship Recipient