Nearly 70 tertiary students awarded scholarships by the JWN Foundation gathered recently for a workshop focused on personal branding and financial literacy, reflecting a growing recognition that career success requires more than academic achievement.
The event formed part of the foundation’s 2026 scholarship programme, which awarded 211 scholarships valued at $21.8 million to students from Kingston, Clarendon and St Elizabeth, as well as dependants of J. Wray & Nephew employees.
The workshop featured sessions on personal branding and professional development, led by media personality, entrepreneur and author Dr Terri-Karelle Johnson, who urged students to be deliberate about how they present themselves.
“Your personal brand is one of your greatest assets. It is not just about how you look or what you say, but how consistently your actions align with your values and goals. Every opportunity, challenge, and interaction contributes to the story people tell about you when you’re not in the room. My encouragement to these scholars is to be intentional, stay authentic, and never underestimate the power of showing up prepared,” she said.
Students also took part in a financial literacy session led by Robert Hamilton, director of internal audit at the Financial Services Commission, covering budgeting, saving, investing and other personal finance topics.
According to the foundation, the session was added after scholarship applicants identified financial education as an area in which they wanted more support.
For Dijhuane McKen, a repeat master blender scholar, the workshop’s message centred on authenticity.
“Today’s workshop with Terri-Karelle taught me not to try to impress others, but to be true to myself. No matter the environment I’m in, I should remain authentic and stay true to who I am. It was a valuable reminder that being myself is enough,” he said.
Attendees also received professional headshots and personality portraits for use in their professional portfolios.
The event concluded with recognition of members of the foundation’s 2026 scholarship cohort, including recipients of the Chairman’s Award, Master Blender Scholarships and Joy Spence STEM Scholarships.
The foundation said the scholarship programme also provides access to internships, mentorship, volunteer opportunities and potential employment pathways through its Skills Bank Programme.
