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bpTT bursaries boost future energy leaders

Release date:
12 April 2025
            
UWI bursaries

Energy company bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) has uplifted three deserving students following The University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Undergraduate Awards Scholarship/ Bursary Awards Ceremony 2024/25, hosted at Daaga Auditorium, St. Augustine in April.


The three students, Karan Singh, Sanjeev Deodath and Mariah Bissoon, will soon be entering the final year in their pursuit of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Geoscience. These students were selected by the UWI Campus Committee for Undergraduate Awards (CCUA) using a merit and means assessment. The awards ceremony represented a prodigious moment that left the students, donors and guests with feelings of gratitude and hopefulness.


This was clear in the sentiments expressed by Deodath, “From and early age I was always fascinated by geography and geological phenomena like volcanoes and earthquakes, and so it was a natural progression into this field of study. I face several challenges including financial constraints, and this bursary means that I can pay for my tuition and other associated expenses. That has lifted a huge burden from my shoulders, and now I can just focus on achieving my best and graduating with highest honours.”


Deodath, a Presentation College, Chaguanas alumni, explained that he had interned at energy companies during his vacation time. Because of this, he established and has maintained linkages with technical persons from energy companies, including bpTT, who have continued to mentor and inspire him.


In sharing welcome remarks, Professor Derek Chadee, Deputy Principal and Chair, CCUA, noted that this year 321 students will benefit from TT$2.2 million in bursaries contributed by over 40 private and corporate donors.


“This ceremony is a tribute to the human spirit, one that affirms our belief in the transformative power of education and the limitless potential that lies within our students. This a moment where donors and awardees connect through a shared vision of brighter and more equitable future. To all our sponsors, your belief in our students fuels their dreams, breaks barriers and empowers their future,” Prof. Chadee explained.


This sponsorship by bpTT is part of a larger investment that will see them partnering with UWI for the next three years to contribute over TT$1 million dollars in bursaries as well as the sponsorship of post-graduate projects that are targeted at cultivating innovation in the local energy sector.


The event had both a poignant and personally impact for Ryan Chaitram, manager, communications and external affairs (C&EA), bpTT: “While I was studying at UWI, I faced many obstacles including financial barriers and were it not for the receipt of bursaries like this, I would not have been able to complete my education. The testimonial by medical student, Jerome Danglade, demonstrated that although not everyone starts at the same place, we can all get to where we want to be, and a little help along the way makes a big difference.


“It is undeniable that for the past 77 years, UWI has nurtured an impressive cadre of local, regional and international leaders. With that fact in mind, my interaction with the students revealed a depth of resilience and determination, which assures me that the future is in safe hands.”


Chaitram noted that for the past 22 years, bpTT has invested in the Brighter Prospects Scholarship Programme, which provides financial assistance to students from Mayaro and environs, who gain access to tertiary education at approved institutions such as UWI. Since inception, the programme has provided more than 700 scholarships, producing more than 500 graduates in over 60 unique fields of study including medicine, nursing, engineering, business studies, information technology, law, agriculture and education. 


“Being present at this ceremony was enlightening because it illuminated the fact that there are many companies and individuals that share bpTT’s passion and vision in terms of investing in the boundless talent and brilliance embodied by our young citizens,” Chaitram concluded.