SCHOLARSHIPS
unfortunately, ViADC Scholarships will not be issued for the 2023-2024 academic school year.
Please check back with us next year.
The Virgin Islands Association (VIADC) of the DC Metropolitan area was founded in 1980 as a non-profit association committed to our community, academic excellence and our cultural traditions. VIADC is an active community network, supporting the enhancement of cultural diversity and providing professional development and mentoring to our college bound students.
A priority of the Virgin Islands Association, DC (VIADC) is the support and education of the youth of the Virgin Islands. To implement this priority, VIADC launched a scholarship program in 2010 with one scholarship and has grown to include five scholarships.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about our Scholarship Programs.
Scholarships for Incoming College Freshmen
Robert Finch, son of Earle and Olyve Finch, served as the first President of the Washington, DC based Virgin Islands Association. Under his leadership, the fledgling organization developed a robust membership with a mission of supporting the people of the Virgin Islands. Robert Finch believed in the power of education and held a Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University and a Master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), both in Social Work.
Robert served his military tour of duty in Frankfurt, Germany and worked first in the Virgin Islands for the Department of Health, Division of Mental Health and then as Director of the Drug and Alcohol Division for the Veteran’s Administration, in Washington, DC. We are honored that his family supports the use of his name and inspiration for this scholarship.
Sponsored by VIADC Lifetime Member, Wistaria J. Joseph, Colonel, USAF (Retired after a 35 year career) in honor of her mother, Florinell Frett Joseph, and grandparents, Ernest and Ovilda Frett. Ms. Joseph graduated with honors from Charlotte Amalie High School in 1985, enlisted in the Air Force as an Airman Basic and graduated from the Air Force Academy Prep School (c/o 1989) and Air Force Academy (c/o 1993).
About the Honorees:
Ernest and Ovilda Frett, were both born on Tortola, British Virgin Islands and moved to St. Thomas and made Savan their home. Ernest retired as a corrections officer at Fort Christian while Ovilda built an entrepreneurial business in the Market and Frett’s Chicken Fry in Savan. They promoted the value of education, discipline, and hard work to their children and grandchildren. They served as an example of care, service to others, work ethic, tenacity, hustle, and drive.
Florinell Frett Joseph, personifies the qualities of strength and resilience, raising five children as a single mother, being a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, serving in the Virgin Islands Army National Guard for 34 years and 10 months, deploying to Iraq for a year tour, and retiring from the Government of the Virgin Islands, Department of Human Services following 46 years of service. She continues to serve her church, community, and holds office with the St. Thomas American Legion Post.
Sponsored by Ms. Rosalind Connell-Legggett, Colleague and Friend
About Arline Swan
Arline Letitia David Swan was born on the island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, obtained her early education in the local public school system and is an alumnus of Charlotte Amalie High School. She is a graduate of Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and obtained her Master’s degree in Sociology from Howard University.
Arline served as a Probation Officer at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for 23 years prior to retiring and returned to her native hometown of St. Thomas, V.I. to become the Territorial Chief Probation Officer within the then Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands (later changed to Superior Court of the Virgin Islands).
While living in DC, Arline, was an active charter member of the Virgin Islands Association, serving on various planning committees and most significantly offering her home as a gathering spot and storage for the fledgling organization. Her husband Alva A. Swan, the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, was also a charter member of the Virgin Islands Association, DC
Arline’s legacy will be honored and remembered as someone whose heart was driven by the love of God and the duty to serve. Therefore, this scholarship in the amount of $1,000 is being awarded in loving memory of Arline Letitia David Swan.
To be eligible for consideration a high school student must:?
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Be a graduate of a high school in the US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. John) or be the child of a VIA member (in good financial standing as of April 1, 2021).
- Plan to enroll FULL-TIME in an undergraduate college or vocational program during the 2021-2022 academic year.
- Complete the appropriate scholarship application and provide the required documents for consideration.
Scholarships for RETURNING College Students
About Beverly Scatliffe
Beverly Scatliffe, a native of the St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, graduated in 1988, receiving a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in accounting from the University of Maryland, University College. Currently, Ms. Scatliffe is a self-employed accounting professional serving not-for-profit organizations and a mentor to youth at WIN family services.
A member of the Virgin Islands Association (VIADC) since 2009 and President from 2017-2019, Ms. Scatliffe, a mother, mentor and strong believer in the education of our next generation, seeks to support current college students. She recognizes that funding is not as readily available to students after their Freshman Year and established the Beverly Scatliffe Fund in 2016 for two (2) book scholarships in the amount of $250 each to support two returning college students who are passionate about and involved in community service.
About Imani Marley Husbands
Imani Marley-Husbands, a member of the Virgin Islands Association, DC since 2012, graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands with a BA in English in 1996. She is a charter member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s Rho Omicron chapter founded on the St. Thomas Campus. Imani retired from local government in the state of Georgia, DeKalb County department of Purchasing & Contracting in 2015 and currently works as a Sr. Contract Specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration in Atlanta, GA
The IMH Humanities Scholarship was established in 2015 to support students who are majoring in disciplines within the Humanities, especially English and/or Communications. While an English Major at the University of the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Husbands found it hard to find funding in the way of grants or scholarships for the Humanities. She vowed upon graduation to fund her own scholarship for students that shared her interest in education.
The Virgin Islands Association Imani Marley-Husbands Scholarship is designed to assist a current college student enrolled at the University of the Virgin Islands and other institutions of higher learning/education, with an award amount of $250, per calendar year.