Scholarship to go 2021

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 13 T HERESA MITCHELL, final-year University of the West Indies student and 2017 Victoria Mutual Foundation scholarship recipient, is encouraging high- school students to be proactive in planning for their educational and career goals. SHE SAID that in order to benefit from available opportunities and matriculate to a tertiary institution, they must actively seek out information, by engaging older persons, teachers and other advisers. She further urged students to identify their goals early to help them determine what will be needed to achieve them. “If you don’t have the financial means to achieve your goals, you will have to put a plan in place to overcome that obstacle. If the plan requires you to get a scholarship, you will have to start preparing early by doing the research to find out what is required,” she said. Mitchell added: “We know that life is not black and white, but with determination and information, you can achieve your dreams.” Pursuing a double major in banking and finance, andmarketing, Mitchell said she is looking forward to starting her career in the financial sector. She recalls her experience of being selected as a VM Foundation scholar as a joyous occasion. “It was a big deal for me because it was always one of my goals to get a scholarship,” she said, adding that she became a member of the Victoria Mutual Building Society in high school, when she opened an iSave account. She said the account was used to save money from a summer job, which helped her to complete sixth form. The Charlemont High alum encourages other university students to help young people in their communities to prepare for the journey to university and to take advantage of opportunities – such as scholarships and grants. “My purpose is to enlighten the people around me to get them in the know and to help them reach the next level on their path.” VM scholar encourages youngsters to be proactive in planning for goals CONTRIBUTED Theresa Mitchell, 2017 Victoria Mutual Foundation scholarship recipient. THE GLEANER’S SCHOLARSHIPS TO GO VM FOUNDATION