Three St Thomas women awarded Chevening scholarships - Part 11

Tishauna Mullings, one of the three St Thomas natives chosen among this year’s Chevening Scholars has said one of her goals is to help young people find their purpose.

Mullings, who owns and operates a social enterprise in St Thomas called NexxStepp will be pursuing a master’s degree in development administration and planning at the University of London.

“The mission I aim to achieve throughout my career is to enable young people to identify and achieve their life purpose through access to education in a way that is relevant to survive in today’s fast paced, ever-changing environment. My six-year-old social enterprise will engage with public and private entities for social and economic development, primarily through youth engagement services and corporate training and consultancy. In a nutshell, my aim is to teach 21st century skills from the classroom to the board to facilitate development in the region, beginning with Jamaica,” she said.

NexxStepp is poised to become a strategic partner for rural development through enterprising skills development (agriculture and otherwise), community development and education after being nominated for Prime Minister’s Youth Award in 2013, selected for President Obama Young Leaders Entrepreneurship Program in 2016 and as a Model Social Enterprise by Jamaican National Foundation in 2018.

The high achiever, who was also selected for President Obama Young Leaders Entrepreneurship Program in 2016, described this new venture as an excellent launching pad for a sturdier grounding as a solid partner and adviser to government and private sector.

Beyond business pursuits, she told The Gleaner that she aims to make larger waves through influencing policy at the national and regional level.

According to her, “Chevening will enable me to continue my quest to nurture a generation of leaders who are equipped with constant desire and aptness to respond to rapid change.”

Sheneka Royal, another of the three St Thomas young women awarded Chevening scholarships will be pursuing a master’s of science degree in food safety; hygiene and management at University of Birmingham, an opportunity she described as life changing.

I cried because I was happy, grateful, and excited. This scholarship will change my life,” she said adding that it will give her a chance to create opportunities not only for herself but for many others like her.

 

Royal told The Gleaner that her ultimate goal is to become a Food Safety Consultant, providing expert advice to persons who wish to trade with the United Kingdom and other first world countries.

 

A master’s of science in food safety, she explained, will ameliorate her knowledge and give Jamaica a strategic advantage.

 

Basking in patriotism for her parish, the 29-year-old scholar revealed that when she found out that two others from St Thomas were chosen for Chevening, she felt a sense of pride knowing that the parish is considered as ‘the forgotten’ in Jamaica with the least development.

 

She said, “The three of us are proof that St Thomas is not to be forgotten. We have persons who are doing exceedingly well all over Jamaica. We are not just from country, but we are change makers, future leaders and examples to the youths in St Thomas that there is life beyond the stigma that is attached to the parish.”

 

Also sharing a sense of pride is the youngest of the three, 24-year-old Georgette Graham.

 

“Naturally, I was proud to discover there were three scholars from St Thomas. I knew Tishauna from before when she visited Morant Bay High School to speak to sixth formers so I messaged her privately to confirm it was the same person.

 

It was pretty much a reminder that your background doesn't define you, and a reminder to the rest of Jamaica that St Thomas produces brilliant minds that contribute to many areas of the country's development,” she said.

 

Graham, who will be reading for a master’s of laws at the University of Manchester shared that Chevening focuses on developing leaders and influencers in the various professions and that she hopes to use the opportunity to network and volunteer but also to undertake further studies in financial law, which will set her on the path to contribute to Jamaica's financial services regulation.