The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

EXECUTIVES of the Youth Empowerment Programme announced yesterday that the organisation has secured agreements with three American universities to offer special scholarships to local students.

YEP officials confirmed that Saint Leo University and Bethune Cookman, both Florida institutions, and the Atlanta Technical College in Georgia have all aligned themselves as strategic partners of the Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Delano Munroe, president and CEO of the Youth Empowerment initiative, said the scholarship agreements are “important to improving the lives of young Bahamians.” He added: “Education provides growth and YEP from its inception has been dedicated to helping our youth grow into their potential.”

Mr Munroe said the scholarship agreements came as a result of his organisation’s third annual College Road Trip.

He said the objective of the College Road Trip is to expose YEP students to colleges and universities abroad, allowing them the opportunity to see firsthand what campus life is like overseas.

Mr Munroe added that students in this setting are afforded the opportunity to present their application, portfolios and credentials directly to universities and colleges.

“That experience is very different from the regular mailing in of applications and documents. It gets the student up close and personal with potential schools, they get to see the culture and feel firsthand.

“Our students have the opportunity to meet directly with coaches as it relates to sports scholarships and band directors as it relates to music scholarships and showcase their talents.”

Earlier this month, YEP took a delegation of approximately 50 students, board members, executives and volunteers associated with the programme on the trip across Georgia and Florida.

“To date YEP has assisted dozens of its participants to enrol in colleges abroad through similar programmes such as the College Road Trip. YEP currently has students studying abroad at Famshaw and Humber College in Canada, and Johnson & Wales University in Miami,” added Mr Munroe.

“Students travelling on this year’s College Road Trip had an experience of a lifetime, for some of them this was the first time they travelled out of the Bahamas. They had the opportunity to sit in classes, eat in the college cafeteria, and meet with other Bahamian and Caribbean students while on campus.”

He said the organisation is excited about the arrangement, adding that the hundreds of students who enrol in YEP throughout the Bahamas will now be eligible to apply under the organisation’s name for scholarships at these institutions.

“Opportunities such as this make the programme more attractive as it adds to the already existent scholarship opportunities that are now in place through the College of the Bahamas and Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institution.”

Programme executives said they plan to expand the annual spring trip into Canada next year in an effort to establish partnerships in that region.