93 Applicants, Two Life-Changing Scholarships: Saint Lucia Students Secure Full Ride Abroad

Two young Saint Lucian women are heading deeper into the worlds of neuroscience and the creative arts without the crushing financial burden of paying for university, after securing full four-year undergraduate scholarships from the Saint Lucia Cruise Port (SLCP).

Shyne Savory and Rhea Barrett emerged as the 2026 scholarship recipients from a highly competitive field of 93 applicants — more than double the number received when the programme was launched last year.

The scholarships, presented during an awards ceremony at the Harbour Club Hotel on Friday, August 7, cover major university expenses including tuition, accommodation, books, meals and airfare for four years.

For Savory, the opportunity will take her to Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada, where she will pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration with a concentration in Drama and a minor in Marketing.

Her journey into the arts began as a pre-teen through a Cultural Development Foundation summer programme. Years later, she hopes to build the expertise needed to contribute to the development and professionalisation of Saint Lucia’s creative sector.

Savory also sees the scholarship as part of a much bigger story about access to education in Saint Lucia.

She reflected on the reality that just two generations ago, some Saint Lucians were unable to complete primary school. Now, she has an opportunity to complete an entire undergraduate degree without having to shoulder the burden of a student loan.

For Barrett, the scholarship is helping turn an ambitious scientific dream into a more attainable reality.

She will continue her studies at Florida State University, pursuing a degree in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience — a field she acknowledged is far from a traditional career path in Saint Lucia.

Before receiving the scholarship, Barrett was already working to help finance her education. During a gap year, she gained experience as a laboratory assistant at the Ezra Long Laboratory and as a facilitator at GenTech Analytica, putting some of her earnings towards university expenses while also relying on support from her parents and part-time work.

Rather than being discouraged by the limited local pathways into neuroscience, Barrett wants to help create them.

She hopes to become a pioneer in the STEM field, increase Saint Lucia’s presence in international research and ultimately contribute to the development of a scientific hub on the island.

The surge from four scholarship recipients in the programme’s inaugural 2025 cycle to 93 applications for the 2026 selection process also points to growing demand among young Saint Lucians for opportunities to access higher education abroad.

Director of Global Ports Holding Eastern Caribbean and General Manager of Saint Lucia Cruise Port, Lancelot Arnold, said the initiative is intended to go beyond providing university funding and help build a pipeline of skilled Saint Lucian professionals across areas important to the country’s economy and communities.

SLCP also strengthened its selection system this year, introducing an in-house online application platform and using AI to assist with the initial shortlisting process.

A scholarship committee subsequently conducted a blind review of shortlisted applicants, examining academic performance, leadership potential and alignment with national priorities. Candidates were also separated into STEM and non-STEM categories to better reflect the country’s workforce development needs.

Marketing and Communications Manager Racquel Preville said the programme has attracted strong interest from applicants, parents and partner organisations since its launch.

Director of the Human Resource Development Unit within the Ministry of Education, Youth Development, Sports and Digital Transformation, Bernice Marcellin, meanwhile, described education as one of the most important investments a country can make.

She encouraged Savory and Barrett to embrace their experiences abroad while remembering that they will also represent Saint Lucia as they pursue their academic ambitions.

The post 93 Applicants, Two Life-Changing Scholarships: Saint Lucia Students Secure Full Ride Abroad appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.