Audrey’s Society Whirl – AFUWI Benefit Gala: An Evening of Excellence, Elegance & Esteem By Audrey J. Bernard, Society Editor

MARGOT JORDAN 2018PHOTO

Audrey’s Society Whirl –
AFUWI Benefit Gala: An Evening of Excellence, Elegance & Esteem
By Audrey J. Bernard, Society Editor
The American Foundation for the University of West Indies (AFUWI) has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the center of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for over 75 years.
UWI advocates for the best and brightest students and provides them with much-needed financial support, resulting in the transformational contributions of outstanding individuals in the region and beyond. The legacy of giving, gratitude, and partnership continued at the 27th Annual Awards Gala at the plush 583 Park Avenue in New York City. Themed “The Legacy Continues,” the stellar event is UWI’s flagship fundraising event and has had a profound impact on the lives of UWI students. Over the past decade, more than 600 deserving students have been able to pursue their education at UWI, thanks to the tuition scholarships funded by the Gala’s proceeds.
Vice-Chancellor of UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, dubbed the Gala an opportunity to speak about “the value of gratitude, solidarity, the cause of the public good, and humanity at its finest.” Thanking AFUWI and its donors, Vice-Chancellor Beckles also noted that UWI maintains its status in the top 3% of the finest universities in the world, demonstrating its impact on donors.
Scholarship recipients Khrisann Russell, a final year accounting major at the Mona Campus, recipient of the George Willie Scholarship, and Dr. D. Malcolm Brewster, a Dominican native and graduate of UWI Mona who received the Parkwood Entertainment Scholarship, both shared the harsh realities of financial challenges. In Dr. Brewster’s case, it was brought on by the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Both recipients were extremely grateful to benefactors and AFUWI for restoring their dreams of a university education. They also thanked JetBlue Airways for sponsoring their air travel to New York to participate in the event.
Dr. Cyrus McCalla, chair of the AFUWI Board, expressed gratitude to UWI’s dedicated sponsors and donors. He also called in the broader diaspora, emphasizing their crucial role in providing education opportunities. By remaining vigilant and concerned, they can help many students break the cycle of poverty, benefiting not just themselves and their families but also the region and the world.
The 2024 distinguished honorees included His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, who received The Legacy Award. His Excellency, a UWI alumnus, responded with gratitude to UWI for its role in shaping regional leaders. He also used the platform to highlight the urgent plight of Haiti, pledged Guyana’s prosperity to regional development, and committed to a continued partnership with UWI.
Referencing Guyana’s Gold scholarship program, which has over 345 programs from 19 universities and serves over 30,000 students, H.E. Dr. Ali also noted that in the last three years, 2,229 graduates have come from UWI, with 659 currently enrolled. He said this is a “testimony to partnership” and called on the region to find more innovative ways to incentivize study at UWI.
Other recipients who were honored included the following: Donald Christian of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (Caribbean Luminary Award); Michele Chow-Tai of Fairview Capital Partners (The Vice-Chancellor’s Achievement Award); Antony Mark Desnoes Hart, Chairman of Caribbean Producers, Jamaica (The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Business Leadership & Community Engagement); The Hart Group (Corporate Award for Business Excellence); Reverend Patrick Perrin, retired Pastor of United Methodist Churches in Brooklyn and Queens (The Pelican Award); and Darren Skinner, Esq., Partner at Arnold & Porter (The Pinnacle Award). Perrin and Skinner are also UWI graduates.
Dr. Cyrus McCalla, chair of the AFUWI Board, thanked UWI’s dedicated sponsors and donors. He also called in the broader diaspora, emphasizing their crucial role in providing education opportunities. By remaining vigilant and concerned, they can help many students break the cycle of poverty, ben