Five-year agreement creates a structured, jointly funded pathway for Bahamian undergraduates to pursue priority degree programs at Benedict College
COLUMBIA, SC – March 25, 2026, Benedict College has formally strengthened its partnership with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas through the signing of a Program Specific Agreement with the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, creating a structured scholarship pathway for Bahamian undergraduate students. The five-year agreement, and the second between Benedict College and the Bahamas Ministry of Education, was executed on Thursday, March 19, 2026, during a multi-day campus visit by a senior delegation from the Ministry.
The agreement establishes a framework through which Ministry-sponsored scholars will receive combined institutional and government scholarship support covering a substantial portion of the annual cost of attendance at Benedict College. The awards are renewable for up to four years and support students participating in the Public-School Scholarship Programme (PSSP) as well as eligible private school, homeschool, and transfer students. Among the priorities of the agreement are Bahamian national
The visiting delegation included Dr. Tonia Ferguson, Administrator of the Scholarship and Educational Loan Division; Dr. Sophia A. Rolle, Consultant to the Public-School Scholarship Programme; and Robyn Lynes, Chair of the National Scholarship Committee.
During their March 19–20 visit, the delegation engaged in a series of meetings with Benedict College leadership, including Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO, members of the President’s Executive Cabinet, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and College Academic Deans, and currently enrolled Bahamian scholars. The visit also included participation in the College’s 156th Founders Day Convocation, where the delegation was recognized as honored guests, as well as tours of academic, student life, and residential facilities.
“This agreement formalizes a partnership that is already making a difference in the lives of Bahamian students,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President & CEO of Benedict College. “Benedict College is proud to stand alongside the Ministry in creating clear, funded pathways to a quality undergraduate education.”
Dr. Yohannis A. Job, Vice President for Enrollment Management, noted the importance of the delegation’s campus visit in advancing the collaboration.
“We were proud to welcome the delegation to campus and to put the full Benedict College experience in front of them,” Job said. “This visit gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our academic environment, hear directly from our Bahamian scholars, and advance the partnership in a substantive way.”
Programs of study supported under the agreement align with national priority areas identified by The Bahamas, including business, education, engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, public health, and the natural sciences. Scholars participating in the program must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average and full-time enrollment to remain eligible for scholarship support.
Bahamian students continue to play a valued role in the Benedict College community, contributing meaningfully to the institution’s academic, cultural, and leadership life. Benedict College looks forward to building upon this partnership and welcoming the next cohort of Bahamian scholars for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Photo Included: left to right: Dr. Yohannis A. Job, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Benedict College; Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO, Benedict College; Dr. Tonia Ferguson,Administrator of the Scholarship and Educational Loan Division, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; Dr. Sophia A. Rolle, Consultant to the Public-School Scholarship Programme,the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; and Robyn Lynes, Chair of the National Scholarship Committee, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
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Benedict College Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from several counties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program in celebration of an HBCU that achieved next-level performance. Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and voted the number one Gold Winner in The States’ BEST College or University in 2025.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.