NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The CA Smith International Educational and Community Development Foundation is partnering with Dr William F Pickard, honorary consul for The Bahamas in Detroit, Michigan, to create new opportunities for Bahamian students to broaden their horizons through a series of scholarship opportunities.
Governor General His Excellency Cornelius A Smith and Pickard have been friends for more than five decades and they made a decision to work together to ensure that young Bahamians have access to education and funding to be able to make a global impact. They came up with the Friendship & Alliance Scholarship, and the first opportunity was announced on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 during a special Zoom meeting attended by the ministers of agriculture and education, among others.
This scholarship will allow Bahamian recipients of the award to receive a tuition-only scholarship that can be used towards their education at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Applicants must be graduating high school seniors or college freshmen or sophomore transfers interested in obtaining a degree in the field of agriculture.
During the Zoom meeting, the dean of FAMU’s College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Dr Robert W Taylor, welcomed Bahamians to join the program with the assurance that they would “feel right at home”.
Taylor, a Bahamian son of the soil, expressed pride in this opportunity that will bring more Bahamians into the program that he spearheads — one he said is critical for a country that imports more than 80 percent of its food products.
Dr Larry Robinson, university president, pointed out that FAMU has a long history of successful Bahamian graduates who have gone on to make an impact in their various fields of profession. He expressed the university’s willingness to accept Bahamian students, noting their high student success rate and impressive grade point averages.
Through the Friendship & Alliance Scholarship, students from Detroit will also have the opportunity to attend FAMU. Pickard made this possible as, through his diplomatic post, he continues to find opportunities for linkages between the Bahamas and Detroit to be created. This is part of a multimillion-dollar commitment to education and training of the next generation.
Smith pointed out: “This is a dream that Will and I had for years. We were always committed to helping young people; we want students from all over the world to build stronger relationships and thereby create a stronger world.
“We created a program and started bringing kids from Alabama to The Bahamas years ago. Now we are providing opportunities for students in The Bahamas and in Detroit to get an education at FAMU. This will cement the Friendship & Alliance Scholarship and help it to grow further and expand globally.”
The governor general called for Bahamian students to “learn, earn and return”, meaning that they should come back with the knowledge and skills they attain and utilize them for the betterment of The Bahamas. Even those who do not return, he said, should take a page from Pickard’s book and find ways to still contribute to their nation, such as creating scholarship opportunities for Bahamian students.
Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard, whose tertiary degrees are in agriculture and agronomy, expressed elation over an opportunity that will help to secure the future of agriculture and marine science in the country, as his ministry continues to push for an increase in produce, investment and interest in these vital fields.
Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd applauded the pair for creating such an opportunity, and pledged his ministry’s support in helping in whatever way possible for the students who are awarded the scholarship to succeed.
Andy Ingraham of the CA Smith Foundation has been busy seeking out prominent Bahamians living in the United States to become members of the Friendship & Alliance Scholarship program and, through the institution, contribute meaningfully to the lives of young Bahamians aspiring for higher levels of education.
Recently, the CA Smith Foundation provided seven scholarships for young Bahamians in areas such as environmental science, computer engineering and early childhood education. Ingraham has also connected with the United States Embassy in The Bahamas to ensure an ease of process in obtaining student visas and OPT visas for students to attend universities in the United States.
For those who will be awarded this agricultural scholarship, GreenStone Farm Credit Services has committed to providing laptops where there is a need. In addition, GreenStone’s Beth Barker announced that internship opportunities will be made available to eligible students, helping them to further their expertise and opportunities in agriculture.
FAMU VP of University Advancement Dr Shawnta Friday-Stroud hosted the meeting, which was described as “historic”.
For more information, email: horizons@gate.net.
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