This week, a Sint Maarten student, Ms. Nathalie Boston, won a Caribbean Hospitality and Tourism Association Education Fund study grant. This was made public by the Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) via its Education board member Francio Guadeloupe (USM).
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) offers scholarships and special assistance for the education of Caribbean tourism industry personnel and students pursuing tourism and hospitality careers. Since its inception in 1987, the fund contributed more than US $2 million in scholarships.
In 2016, the Education Foundation provided 28 scholarships to talents from across the Caribbean totaling more than US $130,000. Last year, applicants spent their scholarships at University of the West Indies, Monroe College and Johnson and Wales University in the United States, amongst other institutions. The Education Fund contributions come from corporate sponsorship as well as a silent auction of hotel stays offered at the annual New York Times Travel Show, adding more than US $100,000 to the fund.
The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) intensified its activity regarding the CHTAEF in 2017. The initiative aligns with the increasing ties of SHTA with St. Maarten educational institutions to create a perfect match of St. Maarten hospitality talent and job opportunities that the local hospitality sector can provide. Next to intensified cooperation with Board Member University of St. Martin (USM), the association signed a MOU with NIPA and welcomed Milton Pieters College (MPC) as an associate member.
In a public call for applications on February 9th five applications of Sint Maarteners studying both on and off island were sent in. As applications throughout the Caribbean almost doubled this year towards 80 and students already enjoying the grant have an advantage over new applicants, SHTA is happy with the new grant made available even though it would have preferred all five applications to have been granted.
Together with its education board member Dr. Francio Guadeloupe of the University of St Martin (USM), the SHTA team are actively seeking additional opportunities to assist promising St. Maarten hospitality students with study financing grants that are available at regional universities for 2018/2019, especially for those who need it most. For the 2018 / 2019 school year, SHTA recommends Sint Maarten students with financial difficulties but with ambitions in higher education to take up contact as of today via email: of****@sh**.com. Applications will be reviewed by CHTAEF in spring 2018.
The SHTA is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 5420108 or visit our website at www.shta.com.