[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his week 1st National Bank St. Lucia Limited held a press conference regarding the introduction of its two scholarship programmes, the Ferrel Victor Charles Secondary School Scholarship and the Francis J. Carasco Scholarship. At the event bank representatives took time to provide background on the scholarship initiatives.
Ferrel Victor Charles once served as Director, Chair as well as President of the Board of the financial institution. He began his position as director in 1980 and was president from 1989 to 2005; he has since retired. Due to his excellent long service the scholarship programme was launched in his honour in 2015.
This year is the third year the bank has granted scholarships to students who have completed common entrance exams.
Representatives of the indigenous bank are proud of this initiative as they believe in the youth and that education is key.
Under the Ferrel Victor Charles Secondary School Scholarship, applications for children aged 10 to 13 years for the academic year 2017-2018 should comprise a letter confirming interest, with a copy of the student’s birth certificate and results plus a reference letter from the Principal of the former primary school. Student candidates must be a child of a 1st National Bank employee, shareholder or customer. For further information about submissions, please refer to the information at right from 1st National Bank St. Lucia Limited or call in to ny of its branches.
Two Ferrel Victor Charles Scholarships will be awarded, covering the full five years of secondary school, as well as a laptop.
The deadline to apply for this scholarship is July 25.
The Francis J. Carasco Scholarship was founded in 1992 at the behest of the shareholders of 1st National Bank in honour of the longest serving director, Francis Carasco. Mr Carasco served for 47 years: 1942 to 1989. The 1st National Bank initially opened its doors for business behind one of Mr Carasco’s businesses, ‘Carasco and Sons’.
The Francis J. Carasco Scholarship is awarded on a triennial basis to persons who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in banking or related fields: Finance, Accounting, Management, Business, Computer Science, Economics, Human Resource Management and Marketing.
The scholarship is tenable for the University of the West Indies Open Campus or other approved regional universities.
In order to apply for the scholarship one must be a shareholder/child of a shareholder of the bank, and aged from eighteen to thirty years old. It is important that the individual demonstrates qualities of integrity and self-discipline as well as leadership qualities such as active participation and voluntary social service in school and/or community-based organisations. Once these and other requirements have been met, individuals may submit applications by the August 22 deadline.
With satisfactory completion of the undergraduate degree course, the candidate will be bonded to 1st National Bank St Lucia Limited for a period of three years.
“1st National Bank is all about excellence, all about excellent customer service,” Executive Manager Marketing, Robert Fevrier affirmed. “We want to inculcate that in our young people, to strive for excellence in all things.”
He also emphasised, “We’re encouraging shareholders, parents and students to take advantage of this initiative and apply.”
