News Americas, TORONTO, Canada, Weds. Jan. 10, 2018: Jamaican roots former US ambassador, Susan E. Rice, is set to be honored by the University of the West Indies in Toronto this April.
Rice, who served in President Barack Obama’s administration, will be among six honorees at the ninth annual UWI Toronto Benefit Gala, set for Saturday, April 7, 2018, at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto.
Rice will receive the Luminary Award, which is presented to people of Caribbean Heritage who have made their mark globally, in their respective fields, or people who have brought prominence to the Caribbean or to issues which affect the region. Rice’s maternal grandparents were born in Jamaica.
The other honorees are Masai Ujiri, the Nigerian-born President of the Toronto Raptors, who will receive the G. Raymond Chang Award; Dr. Victor S. Blanchette, Dr. Avis Glaze, Dr. Michael S. Pollanen and the YMCA.
The G. Raymond Chang Award was established to honor outstanding individuals who exemplify the leadership ideals of G. Raymond Chang (1948-2014), who was a well-respected and outstanding Canadian and Caribbean business leader and philanthropist who embodied great humility and commitment to his fellow persons. Mr. Chang passed away in July 2014, and was the UWI Gala’s patron for five years.
The Chancellor’s Award will be presented to the YMCA while the Vice Chancellor’s Award to Dr. Victor S. Blanchette, a Medical Doctor of the Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto; Dr. Avis Glaze, one of Canada’s outstanding educators, an author and a recognized international leader in education and Dr. Michael S. Pollanen, Chief Forensic Pathologist for Ontario and a Professor and Vice-Chair (Innovation) of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.
Under the theme “Light, Learning and Liberty,” The UWI Toronto Benefit Gala brings together Canada’s business and academic communities to celebrate the greatness and tireless work of the honourees, and raise well needed funds for outstanding students in the Caribbean, whom otherwise would not have the chance to pursue higher learning.
In nine years, the event has awarded almost 400 scholarships. Many of the students are now practicing in their field, pursuing their dreams.
The Patron of the ninth annual Gala is The G. Raymond Chang Family – wife Donette Chin-Loy Chang, and children Andrew Chang and Brigette Chang Addorisio). The event will again be hosted by CBC News Anchor Dwight Drummond and is sponsored by Scotiabank for the ninth consecutive year.
For more see www.uwitorontogala.com, or call 416-214-7848 or email the secretariat [email protected], for more information.
About The University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies was established in 1948 as a College of the University of London. It achieved full university status in 1962. Today it is the only pan-Caribbean tertiary level institution offering a wide array of diverse and accredited programmes to 45,000 students throughout the region, with campuses in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Anguilla, Antigua, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos.
Over the years the UWI has also collaborated and formed MOU’s with several tertiary institutions in Canada and some of the UWI’s graduates have also received honours from Canadian universities.
Find them also on Twitter @uwitorontogala  and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UWIBenefitGalaToronto
