26 Vincentian students join international leadership programme backed by US$162,000 in scholarships
The partnership between the St Vincent and the Grenadines government and Leadership Initiatives runs at Georgetown University over the summers of 2026 and 2027.
NEW YORK, United States. Twenty-six students from St Vincent and the Grenadines have been given a "unique opportunity" to join an international leadership development programme, the country's Consulate General in New York said on Friday, July 17.
The programme runs over the summers of 2026 and 2027, with more students expected to take part next year. Most participants are from the Girls' High School and the St Vincent Grammar School.
The partnership was formalised by the Consulate General, the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Leadership Initiatives, a Washington-based non-profit focused on youth leadership. It will provide more than US$162,000 in scholarships.
Diplomatic effort
The Consulate General said the opportunity was advanced through the advocacy and diplomatic work of Bernadette Ambrose-Black, Consul for Foreign Investment.
"Our young people are among our greatest national assets," she told Caribbean Life. "These students are not only representing their schools; they are representing St Vincent and the Grenadines."
Education Minister Phillip Jackson, who signed the agreement for the government, said it reflected "our government's deep belief in the power of youth leadership as a catalyst for national development".
What students will do
Students will take part in leadership workshops, cultural exchanges and networking, working with international teams and entrepreneurs on real-world economic challenges and presenting their work to business leaders.
The programme, which runs from July 5 to August 1, consists of one-week courses in areas including medicine and public health, cybersecurity and business consulting, criminal law, artificial intelligence and medical innovation, and international leadership and business.
Marshall James Bailly II, founder and executive director of Leadership Initiatives, said: "Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not."
Regional first
The Consulate General said this was the first coordinated Caribbean participation in the programme, and urged other countries, including Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, to join. It described the partnership as part of the country's economic diplomacy and human capital agenda.
Consul General Roland Matthews said it gave him "great pride" to see the students take part in the programme at Georgetown University, calling it "a significant investment in the future of our nation".
