Family Island students seeking tertiary education in New Providence may find the path a little easier this upcoming semester, courtesy of a $20,000 grant from RBC Royal Bank to two local institutions.The bank presented $10,000 to both the Bahamas Baptist Community College (BBCC) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) on Wednesday - the second installment of a three-year, $60,000 commitment to assisting Family Island students hoping to attend those institutions.

One third-year student benefitting from another RBC scholarship said much talent would go undeveloped in the country without the financial assistance that corporate citizens provide.
"I can say, it was indeed a big help to me," Charles Hamilton, a third-year bio medical student at Guelph University in Canada told Guardian Business yesterday.

Hamilton was one of four students who received a $7,500 scholarship from RBC via the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation.  He also received another $5,000 via Lyford Cay's technical scholarship - money he said was critical for his studies.  He said he "had no idea where [the money] would be coming from" before receiving the scholarship.

"It's really great when private organizations go ahead and invest in the future of Bahamians," Hamilton said.  "A lot of students are out there struggling - very intelligent students with a lot of ideas, but the only thing holding them back from achieving their goals is financial constraints."

Sir Baltron Bethel, the President of BBCC, told Guardian Business that although the Family Islands account for less than 5 percent of enrollment, the grant will go a long way in assisting some of those students with fees, and in "hardship" cases with paying rent while in Nassau studying.  The only community college in the country, he said it also helps to broaden the college's reach, allowing more Bahamians access to its college preparatory, certificate and diploma programs.

That reach may be particularly important as a still sluggish economy has sent many adults back to school in an effort to retrain or upgrade their skill sets and qualifications.  Bethel added that the number of adults enrolling at BBCC is on the rise.  "Given the current economic climate, there is a great need for more financial support.  We not only have students coming to us just out of high school but there is an increase in the number of persons seeking retraining for the employment market.  These funds will go a long way," Bethel said accepting RBC's grant Wednesday.

RBC has been making the grant since 2005, according to Bethel, though it has doubled in the last two years.  He said several dozen students from the Family Islands would have benefitted since its inception, allowing them to complete their studies and make meaningful contributions to Bahamian society.

At the BTVI's Nassau campus, its manager Dr. Iva Dahl said many students turn to the institute's financial aid services for help paying for their education.  Students coming from the islands typically have additional expenses, as they must move and set up in Nassau.

"The students from the Family Islands with financial assistance needs, get priority across the board," she said.  "It's not easy for some of them to relocate to Nassau, so we try to assist them as best we can.  It has been very helpful to a lot of them completing their programs of study."

"We would love more funding of course, but because our fees are so minimal compared to other two-year programs, people would be well advised to take this opportunity while it is available."  The recent grant from RBC is a part of its education thrust for community spending.

"At RBC, one of our top community giving priorities is to provide access to higher education to deserving students, especially those who may not be able to afford an advanced degree due to financial constraints," said Nathanial Beneby, Jr., president and country head of RBC in The Bahamas.  "We donate at least a third of our annual community donations to education-related causes each year."

RBC has made a $1 million commitment to the building of the College of The Bahamas' graduate business centre, a $200,000 commitment to the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation for scholarships for Bahamians attending universities in Canada, and is involved in other programs, including the Adopt-A-School Programme.  

Under that program RBC branch offices support public schools in The Bahamas. Pictured from left to right - Nathaniel Beneby Jr., President and Country Head; RBC Bahamas & Turks and Caicos Islands; Sir Baltron Bethel, President, Bahamas Baptist Community College; Mrs. Carolyn Ambrose, Bursar, Bahamas Baptist Community College; Ross McDonald, Senior Vice President, Caribbean Banking.

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