Adventist Church in Western Jamaica Awards $10M in Educational Scholarships

Forty-two students across West Jamaica are starting the academic year with renewed hope after receiving approximately $10 million in scholarships from the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The students were awarded on Sabbath, August 30, 2025, the closing day of the Tertiary Students, Professionals and Business Leaders Weekend hosted by the Conference.

 

Pastor Glen Samuels, President of West Jamaica Conference, highlighted the church’s commitment to holistic ministry, noting that its concern goes beyond the pulpit.

 

“I want you to know that we are not just interested in your spiritual life, but, we are interested in your academic pursuits and struggles and want to be a part of the challenging moments of your life.”

 

He expressed gratitude to the donors, noting that their generosity was directly transforming lives.

 

“We say thanks to those who have made the choice to give us the opportunity to give others a chance to experience meaningful change. We stand committed to the advancement of the welfare of our students.”

 

Joining Pastor Samuels for the presentation were: Pastor Vincent Rose, Executive Secretary of West Jamaica Conference (WJC), Ms. Janice McGrowther, Secretary of the WJC Transforming Lives Foundation, Pastor Dane Fletcher, Youth Director of Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU), and Dr. Lincoln Edwards, President of Northern Caribbean University (NCU). Students from a range of institutions, including Northern Caribbean University (NCU), University of the West Indies (UWI), University of Technology (UTECH), Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, and the Paralegal Training Institute, were among the recipients.

 

 

 

“Receiving this scholarship has lessened the financial burden and has assured me that I’m not alone on this journey, my church family is behind me, supporting and encouraging me,” said Serrian McIntosh, a third-year medical student.

 

Serrian is one of the major beneficiaries of this year’s awards, studying medicine at the Caribbean School of Medical Sciences, where costs are especially high. Responding to the idea that the SDA Church only cares about baptisms, she stressed that its mission is much broader.

 

“While baptism is an important step, the Seventh-day Adventist Church invests in its members’ educational, personal and spiritual growth.”

 

Pointing to her own experience as an awardee, she added, “I am a testimony of that. This scholarship shows that the church supports dreams and cares about our future, not just a baptismal ceremony. It’s about building people to serve.”

 

 

 

The scholarship also opened the door to an opportunity that first-year NCU student Raheem Clarke once thought was out of reach.

 

“University wasn’t really on my mind as neither I nor my parents had the money to finance a college experience. The fact that the church even considered making an investment in me is something I’ll forever be grateful for.”

 

Starting her journey at the Paralegal Training Institute, Shavel Brown, described the scholarship as a humbling and life-changing experience.

 

“I was overwhelmed with gratitude and joy,” Brown said. “Honestly, I was humbled that out of so many deserving students, I was chosen. I immediately thanked God and shared the news with my family, who were just as overjoyed as I was.”

 

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Lincoln Edwards, President of Northern Caribbean University, commended the West Jamaica Conference for broadening its impact through education. He noted that the church’s investment in students demonstrates vision and compassion.

 

“I want to commend the West Jamaica Conference for the investment that it is making in our people, which is the greatest asset the church has. At this critical stage of their development, it is important for them to know the church loves and cares for them. This is evangelism at its finest,” Dr. Edwards said.

 

He continued, “I commend you for being so diverse in your giving. We commend you for considering other institutions outside of NCU and even those who aren’t members of the church. I’m delighted they too can know that the church cares about them.”

 

 

 

Originally the West Jamaica Conference through the WJC Transforming Lives Foundation intended to give 25 tuition scholarships and grants. However, the number of students pleading for help kept increasing. Some have been very desperate. In response, Pastor Glen Samuels, President of the Conference, reached out to Dr Byron Robinson of the Byron Robinson Education Foundation, and a good friend, Mr Dennis Morgan, owner of SeaGarden Resort, both of whom readily agreed to assist. With their participation, the West Jamaica Conference was able to nearly double the number of students who received scholarships.

 

In an era when the relevance of the church is often measured by its service, the Seventh-day
Adventist Church continues to empower students through faith and education. Plans are already
underway to extend support to even more students in the 2026 semester.