ECAB Launches Game Changers Scholarship

By Kisean Joseph

kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com

The Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank (ECAB) has launched a new scholarship programme offering student-athletes up to $25,000 to help offset the cost of studying abroad.

ECAB’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Spencer said the scholarship reflects the bank’s broader commitment to investing in young people, and not just on financial transactions.

“At ECAB, we believe banking is much more than financial transactions. It is about building stronger communities, creating opportunities, and investing in our people,” Spencer said. “We recognize that some of the greatest returns are not measured in dollars and cents, but in transformed lives and dreams realized. Across Antigua and Barbuda, we are blessed with extraordinary young people who excel in classrooms, on tracks, in swimming pools, and on football fields.”

Minister of Sports and Creative Industries Dwayne George applauded the initiative, saying it eases a financial burden many parents face.

“On behalf of the government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda, I applaud the Board of Directors of the Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank, ECAB, for establishing this prestigious scholarship program,” George said. “Not only is it timely, but it will aid in alleviating the financial burden some parents endure as their children seek higher education while perfecting and becoming the best they can be as athletes. To ECAB, you have consistently proven to be a cut above the rest.”

Sports Commissioner Dr Colin Greene said the scholarship reflects a deeper truth about student-athletes; one he says begins long before they ever compete.

“Let me share with you, as an educator, that success begins in the classroom,” Greene said. “There are many people who believe that a successful student-athlete begins on a track, on a football field. No, success begins in the classroom. Why is education every student-athlete’s greatest advantage? Education is every student-athlete’s greatest advantage.”

The ECAB Game Changers Scholarship offers a one-time award of $25,000 to residents of Antigua and Barbuda aged 14 to 21 who have secured partial scholarships abroad in football, swimming or track and field. Applicants must submit an essay, a coach’s recommendation, and complete an interview process for shortlisted candidates.

Applications close August 21st, 2026, and can be submitted via ECAB’s website or by email.