ANGELO JEDIDIAH
angelo.jedidiah@guardian.co.tt
The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus has promised to continue ensuring that they offer full access to education, with the return of UWI Fete next year.
The fete will be held in January 2023 but an exact date is yet to be finalised.
Under the UWI Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF), the University for the past 30 years has hosted a series of events that generate funds for scholarships and bursaries to benefit their students. Companies and individuals can also sponsor grants and donate towards UWI’s philanthropic efforts.
Speaking at yesterday’s UWI Fete 2023 Launch at the campus, Director of Division of Student Services and Development, Deirdre Charles shared the connection between next year’s all-inclusive fete and UWIDEF.
“The fund’s primary focus is educational development. Once we are able to understand that we are a part of the communities that benefit and thrive from educational development, and empowerment of our youths, then we will understand the true purpose of this event: The UWI Fete,” Charles said.
Apart from other well-attended events hosted by the university, such as the UWI Golf Challenge and this year’s recent inaugural garden party, the UWI Fete remains a favourite for all attendees and sponsors.
Former UWI Campus Principal and President of Trinidad and Tobago, Prof George Maxwell Richards first conceived the idea of UWIDEF as a means of keeping the St Augustine Campus afloat during its economic hardships in the late 1980s.
At the launch, new Pro-Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine shared how the University continues to act on its promise to students to make education accessible to them.
“We cannot, must not, deny any of our bright and best the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to achieve. This country and this region need them far too much,” she said.
