"My name is Rowana-Kay Campbell and I am delighted to be the 2020 recipient of the prestigious ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham-Carter Graduate Scholarship, which is tenable at the University of Oxford (Oxford). I was born in the garden parish of St. Ann on the beautiful island of Jamaica. I obtained the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and the Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. I am the holder of a CARICOM Skill Certificate which allows me to live and work in several CARICOM jurisdictions. I was
admitted to the Bar in Jamaica and St. Lucia in 2016 and 2017 respectively. For almost four years I worked as an Associate in the litigation department of one of the premier Law firms in St. Lucia. I am also a Notary Royal in St. Lucia.
“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” – Marian Wright Edelman.
This statement encapsulates my objective for pursuing the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at Oxford. I am passionate about International Law, Trade Law, and Taxation because they are relevant, practical, and unique areas of law. Trade has a direct effect on sustainable economic development or the lack thereof. I intend to use my knowledge and skills as an Attorney-at-Law to help others and to create a better world for the present and future generations. The BCL (which is a Master’s in law) is the first step to acquiring the expertise needed to achieve my goals and to make a meaningful contribution to the development of the Caribbean and the world. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to study at Oxford, one of (if not) the most prestigious universities in the world, and I look forward to a wonderful experience at Christ Church."
"My name is Sapphire Vital and I am from the Nature Island of the Caribbean, the Commonwealth of Dominica. However, I consider myself to be a true representation of the Caribbean as I have spent the majority of my childhood in the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Barbados. My initial appreciation for the natural environment led me to pursue a B.S. in Civil with Environmental Engineering at the University of the West Indies. Over time, this appreciation grew into an ever blossoming awareness of the environment's significance, sensitivity to its mistreatment and desire to be an active part in finding solutions to environmental problems.
In pursuit of this desire, I currently work as an Environmental Consultant with the Basel Convention Regional Centre for the Caribbean. I am also heavily involved in the Dominica Youth Environment Organisation Inc., where I serve on the Executive Board and as the Beach Clean-Up Coordinator.
Climate change is widely known to be the most pressing environmental issue of modern time. Having experienced Hurricane Maria firsthand, I have witnessed the severity of its immediate and subsequent impacts. For Dominica, the key to full recovery encompasses a holistic approach, which touches on areas such as rebuilding, mitigation, preparedness and sustainable development.
The ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham-Carter Graduate Scholarship has given me the opportunity to take the next step of my journey to the University of Oxford, Christ Church, to study for an MSc in Environmental Change and Management (ECM). I am looking forward to gaining the academic knowledge and analytic skills needed to become an impactful decision maker. As a student at the University of Oxford, I will be able to interact with a wide cross section of students and mentors; I look forward to learning and growing from their diverse perspectives, networking, and building friendships.
I am grateful for the opportunity afforded by the ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham-Carter Graduate Scholarship, as it has given me a chance to pursue my passion."
- Sapphire Vital, MSc in Environmental Change and Management - The Commonwealth of Dominica
Our 2017 candidate, Aria Laidlow (Bequia, St Vincent &The Grenadines), spent the 2017-2018 school year working toward her M.S in Environmental Change and Management.
My name is Katherine Hope Reece and I am from the ‘Land of Wood and Water’, Jamaica! I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Geology in 2019 from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus before working for two years at the National Water Commission as an Intern Engineer on the Hydrogeology Team.
The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to droughts and floods, which will increase in intensity and frequency because of climate change. Climate change will also have a negative impact on the water resources of the Caribbean. It is for that reason that I decided to pursue a Master of Science in Water Science, Policy and Management.
The ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham-Carter Graduate Scholarship has allowed me to pursue this master’s degree at the prestigious Christ Church College, at the University of Oxford. This degree, as well as the network of expertise I will gain at ‘The House’, will equip me to help the region sustainably manage our water resources and mitigate the impacts of climate change in the Caribbean region.
Update from Katherine, January 2025:
I’m currently in my second year of a four year PhD program at the University of Calgary, where my research focuses on predicting wildfires using environmental models.