VP Foundation and UWI launch ECEM Scholarship

On Tuesday, the Vincent and Patricia VP Foundation, in partnership with the Institute of Caribbean Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Education at the University of the West Indies, Mona, officially launched the Vincent and Patricia VP Foundation ECEM Scholarship.

This award will provide tuition assistance and academic support to two students entering the BA in Entertainment and Cultural Enterprise Management (ECEM) programme who demonstrate exceptional academic potential, leadership qualities, and a strong commitment to advancing the Caribbean’s entertainment and cultural sectors.

Each recipient will also complete a final-year internship at VP Records’ Jamaica branch, offering direct exposure to the global music industry.

The launch event, held at the UWI Mona Campus, was attended by senior staff including Professor Densil Williams, principal of the campus; Dr Deon Edwards-Kerr, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education; Dr Dave Gosse, chair of the Institute of Caribbean Studies; Dr Dennis Howard, coordinator of the ECEM programme; and Dr Donovan Stanberry, campus registrar.

Michelle Williams, VP Records’ regional director of Caribbean and Latin America, and foundation board member, represented the Vincent and Patricia VP Foundation.

The ECEM programme has become one of the region’s leading training grounds for future cultural and creative industry professionals.

Patricia ‘Miss Pat’ Chin, chairperson of the Vincent and Patricia VP Foundation and co-founder of VP Records, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, calling it “a visionary step forward that emphasises the importance of nurturing emerging talent in the next generation of cultural leaders - those who will shape the artistic and social landscape for years to come”.

Applications for the scholarship are now open through the Institute of Caribbean Studies.