A first-year Culinary Arts student at the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute (JNHHI) is the latest recipient of the Peter Barker Memorial Scholarship.
The $2,500 scholarship is given annually to students in the General Catering Certificate or Associate Degree in Culinary Arts programmes. This year, 31-year-old Natasha Wilkinson was selected for the award. Natasha was inspired to pursue culinary arts after helping a man with health issues by cooking for him, which sparked her passion for the profession.
“This scholarship would help me. I would more than likely take the money and invest it into some kind of venture so it can give me a return as I continue to study rather than just spend it up,” Natasha said.
The scholarship was created by Dr. Nigel Barker, in memory of his late brother, Peter Barker, who passed away in 1995 while a student at the JNHHI. Explaining the rationale behind its existence, Dr. Barker said he asked himself a few questions. He said, “I thought how do I bring some value, he was 28 years old, to a life that was ended very short and I then decided I would add value to other people's lives through his memory, so that’s how it came about.”
Ms. Lynette Francis-Thornhill, acting Director at JNHHI, explained that the scholarship is based on financial need and a strong commitment to Culinary Arts.
She noted the number of applicants this year was lower than expected, with only two students vying for the award. Ms. Francis-Thornhill explained that students often hesitate to apply for scholarships due to concerns about financial disclosures and the potential requirement to repay funds if they do not complete their programme. She emphasized, however, that scholarships like this one are crucial for supporting students, especially in fields like culinary arts, where additional costs like uniforms and equipment can add up.
“While education in Barbados is free at the point of delivery from nursery to tertiary, there are still costs associated with doing the programme.” said Ms. Francis-Thornhill. "So definitely it would be of assistance when they have these opportunities for persons to be able to get through
their programs more comfortably, which then provides a freeness of the mind and enables them to focus more on their studies and worry less about material concerns."