The University of the West Indies Toronto Benefit Gala table and ticket orders are now underway. We have an amazing line up of honorees at the April 6, 2019 event.
2019 Benefit Gala
2019 UWI Toronto Benefit Gala
The University of the West Indies Toronto Benefit Gala table and ticket orders are now underway. We have an amazing line up of honorees at the April 6, 2019 event. If you've already placed your order, thank you again for your commitment and support of our students. They are forever grateful. Book early to reserve your spot! We look forward to hearing from you.
2019 Benefit Gala
Look forward to
- A great party atmosphere
- Fabulous food
- And the best company, all for a extraordinarily worthy cause
Thank you
On behalf of my Co-Patrons Brigette Chang Addorisio and Andrew Chang, thank you for supporting the UWI Toronto Benefit Gala. Your generosity knows no bounds and your compassion for young people thousands of miles away warms our hearts, as we unite in the noble cause of education and the hope of the future.
JOIN US
Our goals
Our Current Honorees
 Dr. Juliet Daniel
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 Dr. Avis Glaze
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 Ambassador Susan E. Rice
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 Deborah Cox
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 Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
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 Senator Murray Sinclair
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Testimonials
“I am eternally grateful for the peace of mind that the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship has afforded me to complete my Creative Arts degree. Just before I entered university, my father passed away and so, with the implementation of fees last year, finances were difficult for my mother. I honestly hope to be a donor at some point in time to give back.”
Romario Hunte (Cave Hill Campus), a Barbadian, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“I wish to express my profound gratitude for being awarded the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship for another year. The financial support was greatly appreciated as it will go towards transportation costs and to purchase a diagnostic set for my studies. I thank you again UWI Toronto Gala, for your support.”
Kamaria Jordan (Cave Hill Campus), a Trinidadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I cannot begin to describe the overwhelming euphoria I experienced when I received the news that I had been awarded the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. Prior to receiving this award, I felt my faith leaving my heart as I was faced with the realization that I had to put my dreams on hold. Because of your generosity UWI Toronto Gala, I was readmitted to the programme and will continue to pursue my degree. I lack words to truly describe what this means to me and I am grateful to the donors of my award.”
Safiya Brock (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“When I first heard that I was awarded the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship, I was exuberant beyond words. This scholarship came at a time of financial neediness. I was at the point of contemplating to take a leave of absence for one year because of my financial incapability. This award has strengthened my belief in myself to continue my degree for which I express my thankfulness to the donor. Thank you UWI Toronto Gala, for allowing me to achieve my dreams!”
Renee Charles (St. Augustine Campus), a Trinidadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I sincerely thank the donors of my UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship for bestowing me with this honour. My father’s meagre allowance could not manage to send my sister and I to tertiary level institutions. That, coupled with my mother’s death in 2014 has left my family in ruins. This scholarship will allow me to complete my degree and achieve academic excellence at the highest level, in addition to being the first in my family’s history to graduate with first class honours. With a heart full of gratitude and honour, I thank you again UWI Toronto Gala and donors of my award.”
Shastri Jagroo (St. Augustine Campus), a Trinidadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“Words are inadequate to express the appreciation I feel for being a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. The past few years have been challenging, particularly with the implementation of student-paid fees in Barbados. In addition, the medical career proves to be very financially demanding which has caused me and my family much strain. I am in my final year, and this award is the assistance I needed to help me to cross the finish line.”
Jalisa Carvalho (Cave Hill Campus), a Barbadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Medicine and Surgery in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“There were many tears of joy and happiness when I found out I was awarded the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. Currently, I am a second year medical student, and pursuing such a programme has had its financial pitfalls since my parents were struggling to meet the next semester’s expenses. I am sincerely grateful for this scholarship as it will relieve my parents of this burden which is the greatest feeling any student can have, and this allows me to have some peace of mind. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Nadine Louis (Cave Hill Campus), a St. Lucian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Medicine and Surgery in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“My focus was shattered as I worked part time graveyard shifts to cover my expenses which included utility bills, food and other necessities. This was challenging because for the next day I would be extremely tired which made it difficult to focus on my studies. I express my deepest gratitude and thanks for the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship which has allowed me to focus completely on my studies and acquire the edge I need to excel in my discipline. Again, I thank you for this fantastic award.”
Ronald Rollins (Cave Hill Campus), a Barbadian, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Linguistics and Literature Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“I was elated and very appreciative to learn that I was awarded the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. The path to this point of my university education has been difficult financially as I was not able to source funding. May tuition was paid through student loans, savings and study leave salaries. This award has relieved my financial burden allowing me to focus and progress with my studies. I express a profound thank you to the UWI Toronto Gala for my Scholarship.”
Ohr Shortte (Cave Hill Campus), a Vincentian, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Spanish with Management Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“I am honoured to be a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship and very grateful for this substantial financial assistance. My first semester at the university went smoothly but my parents had to take out a loan for the second semester adding to their already high debt. With this scholarship, I can breathe a sigh of financial relief as I continue my studies in Foreign Languages. My award has lessened my fears and given me hope to push forward. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the donors of my scholarship.”
Deidre-Ann Burrell (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“I am very grateful and elated to have been selected as a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. Before being selected for this award, my chances of completing five years of medical school were hopeless. I applied to numerous organisations for assistance with only a few materializing and the thought of having outstanding funds was rather stressful, tearful and difficult to concentrate. My UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship has brought me new hope that I can now complete my tenure as a medical student and thus fulfil my dreams of being a medical doctor. Again, I must say that I am absolutely grateful for this opportunity, and I thank you, UWI Toronto Gala!”
Jody-Ann Williams (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“Being an awardee of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship was a reminder to me that there is hope! It is an absolute blessing to be a past recipient of this scholarship and I take this opportunity to express gratitude from the depths of my heart. I am even more elated to be continuing on my award and I must laud you, UWI Toronto Gala, for impacting the lives of needy students in a marked way.”
Sashelle Riley (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I am happy to be once again a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. I am truly honoured and thankful for the financial support towards my education, as my lifelong dream of becoming a Neuro-oncologist is being transmuted to a physical reality. I did not have the support I needed in order to continue my programme as both my parents are financially incapable. Your financial generosity, UWI Toronto Gala has allowed me to be one step closer to my goal and has inspired me to one day help other students to be one step closer to their dreams, just as you have helped me.”
Garren Nelson (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I am eternally grateful to be a recipient of the prestigious Donette Chin-Loy Chang UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship for the past three years. The joy that I felt when I read the word ‘Congratulations!’ on my confirmation letter was incomparable to anything I have felt prior to that moment. My single mother had dreams of her first-born walking across the stage at University and this scholarship has made it possible and has changed my life. While tears streamed from my eyes I celebrate with my family and I thank God. “
Sathara Hendricks (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Humanities and Education.
“Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for the Nigel Gibbs Memorial Scholarship which has certainly paved a much clearer path for me to complete my degree. Before receiving this award, I was really uncertain of many things financially. With this award, I will be able to complete this academic year without any hindrance because my scholarship has single handedly removed a massive burden from the hands of my family and I.”
Douglas Fletcher (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I received the call that I was a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship when I was just about to lose all hope. It was halfway through the semester and most of my tuition was still unpaid. I applied for a student loan but my application was denied. The day I received the call was one of the happiest days of my life. My award has played a vital role in enabling me to begin my final year, debt free. I thank the donors and all other persons involved in making the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship a possibility.”
Thecia Kelly (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“It was a tremendous and ecstatic feeling to be a UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship awardee for the previous year as this uplifted my self confidence. Imagine how grateful I am to be a recipient once again! This award has eased an enormous burden off my shoulders which has allowed me to be more comfortable, positive and focused towards my studies achieving only ‘A’ grades. Again, I am most thankful to the donors for their generosity and support.”
Janaé Downer (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
“The opportunity provided for me to continue on the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship is indeed a privilege that I cannot ignore but for which I can only express sincere gratitude. This award has taken the financial burden off my shoulders and I am now able to participate in various co-curricular activities. ‘Una vez más, muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga!’ - Once again, thank you very much and God bless you!”
Monique Graham (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“I would like to express how happy I am to be the recipient of another UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. This scholarship means a lot to me and my family, because it has released the financial burden that surrounds student loans. During difficult times, my scholarship acted as a back bone, the one thing I could lean on to motivate and push me to break through. For that I am also grateful. I am able to concentrate on my education and to be one step closer to my goals. It is my hope that one day I will be able to help other students just as you have helped me.”
Teina Goffe (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“I must express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the donors of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. This prestigious award will undoubtedly alleviate the pressure of meeting my financial obligations such as tuition and hall of residence fees. As I no longer have to worry about my finances, I am able to focus all my efforts on my studies. Once again, I am eternally grateful that I have the chance to continue my studies at The University of the West Indies because of your generosity and support.”
Christina Cameron (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“Being a recipient of the prestigious UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship has lightened the monumental burden that has been placed on the shoulders of my parents and me. This award has not only affected me financially, but also psychologically where I now feel more empowered to take on the challenges the world has to throw at me. I express my utmost gratitude to the UWI Toronto Gala and donors for their assistance.”
Rojel Bradford (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“It is with profound joy that I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the donors of my UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. I was accepted for the MBBS programme which would allow me to pursue my dream career of being a Pathologist. However, the tuition cost was way out of my reach. Not being the kind to ‘throw in the towel’ despite my financial challenges, I entered the Bachelor of Nursing programme and I am now in my second year. Without your assistance UWI Toronto Gala and donors, this would not be possible. Thank you again for your generosity.”
Decodia Miller (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“I am thrilled and grateful to be a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship and I express my gratitude to the UWI Toronto Gala and the donors of the scholarship. Thanks to you all, I have no need to ponder about financial clearance for this semester. I thank you again donors for enabling me to continue on the journey towards achieving my degree in Nursing.”
Hillory Samuels (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
“As I pursue my degree, my only determination is never to fail. While I have been able to accomplish this, meeting the financial obligations has not been easy. To say thank you for the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship is an understatement as I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to continue my studies without the worry of these obligations. In a thousand ways, I say thank you to the UWI Toronto Gala and the donors of this award.”
Vernessa Joseph (Open Campus), a St. Lucian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Youth Development Work.
“Being the first member of my family to pursue tertiary studies, the journey to becoming a second year student was never an easy one with the many financial challenges, loans and the sudden death of my father. There will never be enough words to express how grateful I truly am for my UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. It was John F. Kennedy who said, ‘As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.’ It is in this vein that I hasten to say thank you UWI Toronto Gala for investing in me.”
Shelly-Ann Wright (Open Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing the Bachelor of Education in Secondary Mathematics
“My UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship has allowed me to continue on a journey that I commenced over fourteen years ago. It truly has been a sacrificial ride for me, in that, one third of my salary each month was allotted to payments to the university. This made it quite challenging to meet my daily commitments. It is a blessing to have been awarded this scholarship which has taken the financial pressure off my shoulders. Thank you UWI Toronto Gala!”
Sharon Charles (Open Campus), a Barbadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood and Development Studies.
“During my first year, my financial options were limited as I attended the Western Jamaica Campus of the UWI often travelling by bus from St. Catherine to Montego Bay to attend school. This along with accommodation costs, meals, laundry, among other expenses has taken a severe strain on me and my family. Thank you very much for my UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship which has provided me with the substantial aid needed towards my tuition and other expenses, and more importantly, the opportunity to complete my degree.”
Shaquille Douglas (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Law.
“When I received the phone- call that I had been awarded a UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship my eyes overflowed with tears of joy and happy feelings that cannot be expressed in words. The semester had begun and I could not access my courses because my account had been put on hold and I had no clue as to how I would get the funds to pay a portion of my tuition. Thank you, UWI Toronto Gala for giving me the opportunity to successfully complete my undergraduate studies and achieve a dream that was once seemingly out of reach.”
Shanna James (Open Campus), a Grenadian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Educational Leadership and Management.
“With the many challenges and financial burdens that I have faced, at times I contemplated putting my studies on hold. It was difficult to meet my monthly payments towards tuition, travel and other expenses. It is indeed an honour to have received the prestigious UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship for which I am very grateful. This award has lightened my financial burden and now, I will be able to focus on my studies and complete my degree. Thank you, UWI Toronto Gala for ‘A dream come true!’
Nicoleen Whittingham-Brooks (Open Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and Development Studies.
“I wish to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. This scholarship came to me during one of the most pressing periods of my university life - a time when the financial requirements needed were overbearing. My scholarship will not only provide financial relief, but it will also serve as a huge source of motivation for me to work harder towards achieving excellence. I extend my heartfelt thank you to the donors of my award.”
Nelson Allen (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in the Faculty Humanities and Education.
“It is truly an honour to be the recipient of a UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. This scholarship will help greatly in reducing my financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my studies. Now, I can be one step closer to my goal and hope to one day, manage my own company where I can provide employment for my fellow Vincentians. Thank you, UWI Toronto Gala for your generosity.”
Natasha Ashby (Open Campus), a St. Vincentian, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Management Studies.
“When I lost my home on August 27, 2015 due to a tropical storm, I knew I would have to defer my education. I was devastated and not pleased, but six days later I was able to cry tears of joy instead of pain when I was told that I was a recipient of the UWI Toronto Gala Scholarship. Words cannot express how happy I am to have received this Scholarship. This award came at a time when I needed it the most and for this, I am very grateful. Thank you, UWI Toronto Gala for your generous support.”
Lisa Vital (Open Campus), a Dominican, is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Accounting.
“I am teeming with boundless appreciation and gratitude having received the opportunity to continue on my Lloyd and Daphne Chin-Loy Scholarship. This scholarship has significantly alleviated my challenges with financial difficulties and has allowed me to focus more on my academic work. I am truly honoured to be an awardee!”
Chevar South (Mona Campus), a Jamaican, is pursuing his career in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
