It is registration week at the University of Belize and 8 students will be enrolling for the new school year thanks to a corporate handout from Belize Electricity Limited. There were dozens who applied but after a rigorous elimination, only 16 made it on a short list. After interviews, 16 became 8. Those 8 recipients picked up their certificates at an award ceremony and luncheon at the Radisson this morning.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This morning BEL's President and CEO Lyn Young gave eight students a one-way ticket to higher education. It is actually certificates which are a guarantee of a two-year tuition scholarship to the University of Belize from BEL. 24 year-old Sylvia Carrillo will study English.
Sylvia Carrillo, Recipient
"It will help me because it will pay my tuition for school and that is like a lot of money that I don't have and so it is like a dream come true."
Keith Swift,
Would have been able to enroll with this scholarship?
Sylvia Carrillo,
"For one year and then I would have to work again to get more money and go back."
Danny Pop from Toledo already has an Associates Degree and with the scholarship from BEL, Pop will able to achieve his Bachelor's.
Danny Pop, Recipient
"Well it will be a big help for me because financially I am a little constrained and I can now take the burden of my shoulder and my parents as well."
Keith Swift,
So were it not for this scholarship would you still have been able to attend school?
Danny Pop,
"Well at the moment no but I was planning to return in the long run."
Carrillo and Pop, in addition to thee other six recipients are just a part of the 47 students who have benefited from the scholarships in the past six years.
Lyn Young, CEO - B.E.L.
"It is our way of providing an opportunity for young Belizeans. We are very excited about the work the University of Belize is doing and we contribute by providing scholarships for young Belizeans to go to UB. I think whenever we can, organizations, businesses in Belize, we have to encourage young Belizeans to be the best that they can be and UB is one such opportunity."
BEL spends about $30,000 a year on the scholarships. Do the math and over the past six years that amounts to just under $200,000.
