The 15th annual University of West Indies (UWI) Toronto Benefit Awards celebrates the 2024 honorees of its fundraiser in support of scholarships for Caribbean students.

The gala event takes place on Saturday April 20, at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 181 Wellington Street, Toronto at 5:30 p.m. EST.

CBC Toronto News Anchor Dwight Drummond will emcee the sold-out gala affair hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI), top ranked among the world’s best universities, with Scotiabank as lead sponsor for the 15th consecutive year.

Performing throughout the evening are: Juno Award-winning singer Divine Brown, soulful singer Aion Clarke, Toronto’s finest rhythm sections Fiyah Brigade, tenor and soprano saxophone player Miles Raine and his band The Collective, along with The SwizzleStick Theatre troupe of stilt performers.

“The UWI Toronto Benefit Awards has provided 850 scholarships and bursaries to Caribbean students over the years” exclaimed Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, executive director of the university’s Institutional Advancement Division.

“We know that education is the pathway to success as is evident with those who graduated and have gone onto great careers because they were able to attend The University of West Indies and get a world class education,” she said.

Primary sponsors for this year’s event include: Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Sprott Inc. and BDO.

Under this year’s theme, ‘Lighting the Way Together’, this not-to-be missed night on the Toronto social calendar cultivates a high-profile guest list of corporate executives, public personalities and community members committed to giving back to the Caribbean diaspora.

The distinguished 2024 honorees are:

• Luminary Award: Justice Hugh L. Fraser, O.C., FCIArb., CollArb, OLY – mediator, arbitrator and human rights activist.
• G. Raymond Chang Award: Raj Kothari, FCPA, FCA, MBA – business leader and humanitarian
• Chancellor’s Award: Air Canada – global organisation serving the Caribbean
• Vice Chancellor’s Award: Dr Pamela Appelt, OD – Court of Canadian Citizenship Justice (Ret.), humanitarian; Stanley J. Julien – head, Special Accounts Management Unit – Canada; BMO Bank of Montreal, business and diversity, equity and inclusion leader; Deland Kamanga, CFA – group head, BMO Wealth Management, financial specialist and philanthropist; Dr Claudette McGowan – CEO Protexxa, global cybersecurity leader and human rights activist, business leader and philanthropist

The patrons of the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards are: Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Andrew Chang, Brigette Chang, and joining them this year are Kevin Hibbert and Ann-Marie Hibbert, both passionate supporters of higher education and the UWI Student Scholarship Fund. Hibbert was a recipient of the 2023 Vice Chancellor’s Award.

‘Lighting the Way Together’ demonstrates how together, community donations, financial support and inspiration provides a lifeline to students eager to fulfill their educational dreams.