2019 US Virgin Islands Code
Title 17 - Education
Chapter 15 - Scholarships
§ 184c. Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation Scholarship

(a) There is established the Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation Scholarship (hereinafter “the Scholarship”) which shall be awarded to residents of the Virgin Islands who are pursuing careers in medical or health care fields. The Scholarship shall be awarded to students for the purpose of funding their education or acquiring certification in the medical or health care field. Each such recipient shall execute a commitment on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Health, to practice and work in such field in the Virgin Islands following their completion of studies.

(b) The Scholarship shall be administered by the Commissioner of Health. The Commissioner shall, after consultation with the Medical Directors of the hospitals and clinics, make a determination each year regarding which area of study will be the subject of the Scholarship to be awarded for that year, following which the Commissioner shall, in a timely fashion, announce and publicize the availability of the Scholarship and the necessary qualifications for applicants.

(c) The Commissioner shall adopt rules governing the granting of the Scholarship, the purpose of which shall be the establishment of minimum performance standards upon which the scholarship grant shall initially be awarded and thereafter renewed, and establish the length of time of commitment of service required of recipients pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, not to be less than two (2) years for each year of scholarship.

(d) The Commissioner may adopt forms to be used by applicants for the Scholarship and service commitment and fix a date on which the scholarship is to be awarded annually. All scholarships shall be awarded publicly at a ceremony to which the public shall be invited.

(e) Each scholarship awarded shall not exceed $10,000 per year which sum shall be applied to the payment of tuition, academic fees, book purchases and living expenses. The Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, award more than one scholarship each year, but shall endeavor to ensure that the scholarships are awarded to residents of both St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix.

(f) The Commissioner of Health is authorized and directed to accept private donations on behalf of the Scholarship including, but not limited to, donations from the Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation, Inc. The Scholarship may also be funded by an appropriation from the Legislature.

(g) Nothing contained herein shall be interpreted to preclude the Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation, Inc., from establishing other scholarship programs in the Virgin Islands, or to preclude any private organization from acting as administrator of such scholarship programs.