Rowana-Kay Campbell, Attorney-at-Law and first Jamaican recipient of the Oxford-ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham Carter Graduate Scholarship.
From St Ann, Jamaica to the halls of the prestigious University of Oxford in England, 27-year old Rowana-Kay Campbell is the first Jamaican to be awarded the Oxford-ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham Carter Scholarship. She will be pursuing a Bachelor of Civil Law (Master of Laws) starting this month.
A practising attorney-at-law for four years, having been called to the Jamaican Bar in 2016, she moved to St. Lucia, and was called to the St. Lucian Bar where she was an Associate in the litigation department at one of the country’s premier law firms.
“I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to study at Oxford, one of, if not the most prestigious university in the world; and I look forward to a wonderful experience at Christ Church,” she said excitedly.
The Oxford-ID Travel Group Foundation Bonham Carter Scholarship is a full scholarship, available to residents of select Caribbean countries, who are pursuing courses in Social Sciences. It is jointly funded by The University of Oxford and entrepreneur Maurice Bonham, who is also an alumnus of the university.
Miss Campbell is no stranger to scholarships, as she was the 2013/2014 National Housing Trust Employees’ Children Scholarship awardee.
“This degree is the first step to acquiring the expertise needed to achieve my goals; to make a meaningful contribution to the development of the Caribbean and the world,” Miss Campbell explained.
A high achiever, she also graduated from The University of the West Indies, Mona, with First Class Honours; and was ranked in the top ten students at the Law Faculty, with a GPA above 3.6.
Internships helped in preparation
Miss Campbell, who was a JN Bank Summer intern in 2012, is advising college graduates to participate in internships, as this helped her to prepare for and shaped her professional journey positively.
“The JN internship taught me many things; however, the most memorable of these was how to engage with people from different backgrounds, educational levels and understanding,” Miss Campbell stated.
She recalled informing customers about the documents required to open a bank account; and in speaking with some of them, particularly elderly persons, she realised that they did not understand Standard English.
She added that she would then communicate the point in “patois,” so that they would understand.
“This stuck with me as a reminder, that no matter how educated I become, I should always be able to communicate with anyone; and let them feel comfortable talking to me,” she related.
Ransford Davidson, business relationship and sales Manager at JN Bank, Browns Town and St Ann’s Bay, said he enjoyed working with Miss Campbell and admired her soft skills such as: her adaptability, love for people, and the emotional intelligence she directed towards others.
“It was obvious that Rowana-Kay would be a success, and I was by no means surprised by her elevation,” he said. “Her dedication, drive, work ethic, eye for details, and commitment, encapsulated the foundational skills and inuring attitude necessary to propel her success. Not to mention her Christ-centeredness. She consistently displayed sound values and was consistent with her emphasis on her spiritual walk.”
He added that these skills were essential for many professions, and he was positive that she would continue to be an awesome attorney and community representative.
“I am passionate about International Law, Trade Law, and Taxation, because they are relevant, practical, and unique areas of law. Trade has a direct effect on sustainable economic development or the lack thereof, Miss Campbell affirmed.
Miss Campbell, who is also a notary public in St. Lucia, said that after she completes her studies, she hopes to use her knowledge and skills as an attorney to help governments and organisations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, to deal with international law disputes.
