Celia Bramble, chairperson of the Scholarship Committee of the Brooklyn-based Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, USA, Inc. (COSAGO), the umbrella Vincentian group in the US, says that the organization has established a Scholarship Fund in honor of two of its “esteemed” late, founding members, Dr. Errol G. King and Dollis Forbes.
Bramble, a retired Registered Nurse and colonel in the US Army Reserve, told Caribbean Life on Wednesday, Sept. 10, that, although Dr. King, a former COSAGO president, and Forbes, have passed on, their legacies continue to inspire COSAGO’s “mission, vision, values and sense of community.”
“The scholarship is designed to financially assist qualified applicants in obtaining a degree from an accredited academic institution of higher learning,” said Bramble, a former director of training and education at the sprawling Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.
“It will be awarded to outstanding college-bound students of Vincentian heritage, who exemplify academic dedication, leadership, community involvement, and a strong sense of cultural identity,” she added.
“The scholarship will serve, not only as a tribute to the visionary leadership and selfless service of our late founders, but also as an investment in the future of young students of Vincentian heritage, who are striving to make a meaningful difference through education,” Bramble continued.
She said recipients will be selected through a competitive process that evaluates academic achievement, personal integrity, resilience, individual need, and service to others.
“Through this award, COSAGO reaffirms its commitment to uplifting the next generation, and preserving the values on which the organization was built,” said Bramble, disclosing that the scholarship award is US $1,500.00.
She said the criteria for the COSAGO Scholarship Award are: College-bound student of Vincentian heritage; graduate (or candidate for graduation) from an accredited high school; proof of a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (official transcripts required); and proof of acceptance to an accredited college or university.
Other criteria are: A type-written essay of 300-350 words; evidence of financial need; proof of extracurricular activities at school or in the community; and two letters of recommendation – one from the school, and the other from a member of the community (church or community leader).
Bramble said the letter from the community member should address “the integrity, character and uniqueness of the student.”
Applications are available on COSAGO website: www.cosago.org
Bramble said students will be interviewed by a selection committee in September 2025, and the scholarship will be presented at the COSAGO-organized St. Vincent and the Grenadines 46th Anniversary of Independence Gala Luncheon, on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at Russo’s on the Bay on Cross Bay Boulevard in the Howard Beach section of Queens.
For more information contact: Celia Bramble: 347-668-0774; Arden Tannis: 718-913-6752; Laverne McDowald-Thompson: 347-385-6227; or Erlene Williams-King: 347-515-1749.
