Candidate vying for Vice-President of Finance and Planning in the United Student Movement Election, Aaliyah McGowan.

Photo Credit: Contributed

By: Katrich Walker

Mandeville, Jamaica- A candidate vying for Vice President of Finance and Planning within the United Student Movement (USM) says she’s looking to raise $200,000 dollars in scholarships for student workers enrolled at the Northern Caribbean University.

Twenty-two-year-old, Aaliyah McGowan, hopes to do this by working with the Office of Student Services and Social Affairs as well as making adjustments to the USM budget to fund two recipients per semester for upcoming academic year. 

“I’m going to choose two persons per semester, a boy and a girl, so I am looking at $50,000 each… so,  for the academic year, that would be $200,000.”

The Accounting Major told the Hilltop Trumpet that she hopes to eventually assist more students through the initiative through fundraising efforts.

McGowan, who also serves as Vice President of Financial Affairs for the Philmelodia Club and the treasurer for the Business and Secretarial Students Organization, noted that in order for this select group to qualify for the scholarship, they must be a full-time student having completed 32 credits and must be a working student for 2 consecutive semesters. 

Meanwhile, her two-page manifesto also outlined other endeavours such as a  program she calls  ‘Financial Fridays’ and the hosting of  Jamaica Stock Exchange seminars which will be held to facilitate financial education among students. 

“Every Friday, we will keep students up-to-date and informed about the Jamaica Stock Market. We will educate students about the different financial markets, such as the bond market, derivatives market, and forex market. Also, we will provide students with the meaning of different investment terms.” 

The third-year student told our news team that these activities will be hosted LIVE on YouTube or the Zoom platform with a pre-recorded version made available for students who missed the LIVE sessions. 

She says she is welcoming the challenges that will come for the next academic year in the Office of Finance and Planning but she is eager to put in the work.

McGowan is only candidate vying for the Office and will therefore copp the position by default.

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