Andrew Dean
Once a year, Lyford Cay Foundation scholars are asked to send in a ‘Personal Evaluation Report’ outlining the challenges and highlights of the academic year just completed as well as what they hope to achieve in the upcoming semesters. Below are excerpts of some of the correspondence we received over the summer of 2009.
Andrew Dean
Diana, Princess of Wales Technical Training and Vocational Scholarship Recipient
St Paul College, St Paul, Minnesota
Field of Study: Watchmaking/Micro Mechanics
Since the start of my programme in January of 2008, I have strived for excellence in all of my projects and assignments. As a result, over the course of five semesters, I have been able to maintain a 4.00 cumulative GPA. It has not been easy, because along with being off at school, I have had the responsibility of maintaining my wife and two kids who are here with me in Minnesota.
I found a bit of fulfillment in a church that I found here, which is a branch of the church that I am a part of in The Bahamas. At the church I have assisted in leading Friday night youth group meetings. I have also been involved with the HOPE worldwide organization, which is also affiliated with the church. With HOPE, I volunteered at blood drives and participated in packaging food for children in third world countries (Feed My Starving Children). HOPE also coordinated a field day recently for underprivileged kids in the Minneapolis area, which I participated in. I have tried to stay active in the area of benevolence.
The opportunity that was afforded me by the Lyford Cay Foundations is one that I am truly grateful for. The money that is put forth on an annual basis to fund Bahamian students on their career paths is going a long way to empowering them to make a difference in The Bahamas at large.
Financially it has been challenging because, as I previously mentioned, my wife and kids are here in Minnesota with me and we have had to live on a really tight budget. I haven’t ever been one to complain, though — God has taken care of us.
I do pray that I meet all of your expectations and that I remain successful through the rest of my programme.
Ecarscha Smith
Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient
SUNY Maritime College, Throggs Neck, New York
Field of Study: Marine Transportation
My 2008–2009 academic year was a very good one. I was upgraded to third class and then second class in the regiment, which was a lot easier than freshman year but also entailed a lot more responsibility. I continued to be an avid member of the women’s swim team and secretary of the Society of Bahamian Merchant Mariners. This year we organized an eventful day for several shipping companies, The Bahamas Maritime Authority and The College of The Bahamas faculty. One of the objectives was to see more Bahamian scholarship recipients attending SUNY Maritime instead of Cal Maritime in California.
As an active member of the Culture Club, I assisted with its annual dinner in February. At this event, The Black Maritime Alumni Organization awarded me their highest grant, $1,500, towards my Summer Sea Term. Additionally, I was selected as a student ambassador in the Admissions Office and assisted with campus tours and Open House.
My accomplishments this year included remaining on the Admiral’s List, which requires students to have a GPA of above 3.50. I was also accepted into the graduate programme at my school. I will not be able to become a graduate student until I complete my undergraduate degree next May; however, I was accepted into the fast-track programme, which allows me to take three graduate classes while still an undergraduate, and these classes will count toward both majors.
This upcoming 2009–2010 academic year will be my senior year as a 1st class Cadet, and I will experience my last Summer Sea Term on board the Training Ship Empire State VI. I hope to excel even further in my academic and extracurricular activities next semester. My hard work, combined with my determination, will culminate with my sitting the United States Coast Guard examination next July and, upon the successful completion of this exam, I will obtain an unlimited tonnage Third Mate Officer’s license.
Oscar Dames
Graduate Scholarship Recipient
VanderCook College of Music, Chicago, Illinois
Field of Study: Music Education
First, let me say that I am grateful for having been given the opportunity and financial support by the Lyford Cay Foundations to study at VanderCook College of Music. Overall my experience has been a great one, filled with new knowledge and skills that I am able to impart to my students and implement in everyday life.
My first couple days were challenging due to the fact that I was a student again after quite some time and also being exposed to a different culture. Everything seemed to be happening simultaneously and moving so quickly. However, I had to get with the programme fast.
I often wondered if the lecturers knew that we were taking other classes, because of the workload that was expected from us. By the end of the week I was settled and at ease, having learned which building classes were in, where to eat and where to buy textbooks, stationery and other relevant materials.
I was very impressed by the professionalism with which classes were conducted, the assistance given when requested, and the way things were organized. Everything basically was in place and classrooms were arranged by the undergrad student workers to accommodate whatever courses would be occupying the rooms. My highlight was playing in the VanderCook College of Music Symphonic Band. Coming from The Bahamas, I was not used to playing in a band of such size and with such diverse instrumentation. The sound was simply awesome. I enjoyed the rehearsals, the repertoire, and warm-up exercises because they were always learning and fun experiences.
My goals for the upcoming school year are to complete most of my master’s project, obtain as much new information as possible, maintain a 4.00 grade point average and implement and pass on the new skills and techniques learned to my students and colleagues alike.
Martiniqua Moxey
The Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation / RBC Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient
Trent University, Ontario, Canada
Field of Study: Economics and International Political Economy
The year began like no other. After suffering a most unexpected and perhaps humbling loss in my immediate family, I came back to school with a painful load. During my first weeks, I completed the remainder of hours at my summer employment, the Trent University Conference Centre, and got back into my usual school mode.
This year was going to be ‘my year,’ I told myself, and nothing was going to change that. I had moved off campus and was going to be ‘Ms. Independent’ and really tough out the Canadian winter in downtown Peterborough, even though my University is at the North end of the city. I went to church far more regularly because I now lived within walking distance and no longer needed to depend on the unreliable weekend bus schedule. I was so much more involved in University life, having become an Upper Year Ambassador; joining AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization; being an active member of the Trent African Caribbean Student Union; receiving the coveted 2nd Year Ambassador Award, and being a Step and Gumboot Dance leader. This was really ‘my year,’ but for so many more reasons than these.
My first semester was a bit rough, but I was determined to do better. I had undertaken a few challenging courses, but for me, they became my revelation. Those courses showed me that economics was really what I wanted to pursue. I loved learning how perfect competition works in the books but not in real life. I loved development economics and learning about the contradiction of how resource-rich countries are often faced with the most severe world issues. I can go on and on, but I’ll save that for another summary.
My second semester solidified this major for me. I realized how passionate I was about economics and how much I loved talking about it. The passion I have for this subject is never ending. I dream about economics; I turn every discussion into something about world issues; I have really begun to exude the characteristics of an economist. In my life, I am many things: I am a Catholic; I am a Young Lady; I am a daughter, but my economics background makes all of those roles so firm. This passion, I feel, is what God is calling me to do, and I am so enormously grateful to RBC Royal Bank of Canada and The Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation for having afforded me the opportunity to pursue this dream.
I am currently in Nassau working at RBC and enjoying every moment of it. My summer is going so well and I am so thankful to Ms. Knowles for hiring me. I will be returning to Canada after a short stay at home to take an 8-week summer course and to work. Once I have completed my hours and my course, I will be off to Sweden for a full year of study at Jönköping University. The excitement within me is absolutely brimming over and it really cannot be contained. I will be studying more on development economics and the interdependence of states, democratization, Sweden’s economy and Sweden’s political stability, along with a bit of Swedish. The excitement is endless at this point, not only because I will have the opportunity to live in Europe but also because I was able to choose such interesting courses.
This year has been filled with such an abundance of pure good that could only be attributed to God’s grace and blessings over my life. I refuse to let my sour moments overshadow what God has for me. I can say with much affirmation and gusto that this really is ‘my year’.
