Virgin Islands residents pursuing advanced degrees are encouraged to apply for the VI Academic & Cultural Awards Endowment Scholarship. Funding is also available for VI residents conducting research and projects designed to promote cultural awareness in the territory. Recipients may receive up to $10,000 per year. Twenty-one scholarships were awarded for the 2009-2010 period, totaling $207,000.
The VI Academic & Cultural Awards Endowment Scholarship was created by the Virgin Islands Legislature in 1970 to assist VI residents with financial support to advance their academic and professional studies. The overall objective is to develop intelligent leadership capabilities in the various fields students may pursue. It is a territorial scholarship that is administered by the University of the Virgin Islands. Advanced degrees are considered any degree beyond the master's level, such as J.D., M.D and Ph.D. On average 18 students per year have benefited from the endowed scholarship over the past five years.
The scholarship also funds cultural research and projects. "If you have an activity where you are promoting cultural awareness of the Virgin Islands, either here or abroad, that is something that we may fund," said Ardrina Scott-Elliott, UVI's director of advancement services and scholarships. "That's really important, especially at a time when we say our culture is being jeopardized," she added.
The application deadline is May 14. Applications are available on St. Croix and St. Thomas at the University of the Virgin Islands, the VI Board of Education and the VI Superior Court. Click here for an application and residency certification form.
They are also available at the Institutional Advancement page of the UVI website - www.uvi.edu. For more information and eligibility requirements contact Ardrina Scott-Elliott at 693-1040.