College-bound students receive Minds Inspired grant

(CNS): Two university-bound students have both been awarded Dart’s Minds Inspired William A. Dart Memorial Scholarship. Initially intended to be awarded to one student, Dart has announcded that the scholarship was again granted to two students because of the overwhelmingly impressive applicant pool. Both of this year’s awardees have completed the International Baccalaureate diploma programme. Kirsten Ebanks (left) at the Cayman International School and Madeleine Rowell at the United World College in New Mexico, USA. Kirsten has been accepted to study at Northeastern University in the University Honours Program, which represents the top 2% of the school’s applicants; and Madeleine will attend Stanford University. 

Kirsten is going to study Behavioural Neuroscience, while Madeleine was accepted into Stanford’s Human Biology programme.

Kirsten aspires to a career in medical research, primarily in the fields of addiction therapy and abnormal psychology. Last year she attended the Medical Summer School at Emory University, where she toured research facilities, witnessed surgeries and met medical staff. Her goals after university include returning to Cayman and working to improve facilities and programmes available in Cayman for the treatment of mental illness and addiction.

Kirsten has already had a glimpse of university life, after being invited to Northeastern University in March to attend the University Honours welcome programme, where she met professors and toured the school. In her free time, Kirsten has held part-time jobs with Security Centre, Kyrs Global and Eclipze Hair Design and Day Spa, and volunteers with Meals on Wheels. She is musically inclined, playing clarinet and piano; participates in Debate Club – she won the 2014 Fred Speirs Debate competition – as well as Junior Achievement, Junior Parliament and her school’s Model United Nations.

Madeleine’s areas of interest span public health, environmental sustainability and gender affairs. Her longstanding passion for finding solutions to human problems have led to her community work volunteering at The Pines Retirement Home, helping at the Humane Society and taking part in Key Club. These efforts, and her petition to requestthat the government establish sex education programmes in Cayman’s school, contributed to her receiving a 2013 “Proud of Them” community service award.

Madeleine completed her International Baccalaureate studies on a full scholarship at United World College in New Mexico, USA, where she threw herself wholeheartedly into school life, working with the school’s Debate Club and serving in numerous leadership roles such as Group Mentor Leader, voluntary tutor and Chemistry intern. Madeleine also created a Food Matters program at her school which resulted in dramatic improvements in the quality of food served at the school and improved morale on campus. Madeleine enjoys playing piano, diving and photography; she received third place in the under-17 photography category at the National Cultural Foundation of the Arts Festival.

“We are thrilled to welcome Madeleine and Kirsten to the Minds Inspired family,” says Mark VanDevelde, Chief Executive Officer for Dart Enterprises Ltd. “Their talents, experiences and interests are varied, yet both young women are clearly driven by a desire to improve their communities. We are excited to support them as they continue their academic pursuits and are proud they have been accepted to such world-class institutions. We look forward to hearing of their accomplishments in the years to come and to seeing the many beneficial changes they are sure to effect in Cayman’s society.”

The Minds Inspired initiative includes, in addition to high school and university scholarships, an annual Mathematics Challenge and supports on-island events that share the goal of shining a light on STEM education in Cayman, such as the STEM conference held at UCCI and the Rotary Central Science Fair.

The Minds Inspired programme supports the Dart family’s philosophy of promoting education and fostering academic excellence in math and science. The Dart Group believes that mathematics and science are fundamental building blocks for both academic and career success.