Saint Kitts and Nevis

Scholarship

Master of Environmental Studies, Tourism Policy and Planning
University of Waterloo
Canada

Being awarded a CTO Foundation Scholarship was a great honour and afforded me the opportunity to complete my studies at the University of Waterloo. I was awarded a Scholarship from the CTO Foundation in 2012 at a time where I would not be able to work as I was engaged in field research for my Master's Thesis in St. Kitts. In 2014, I successfully completed a Master of Environmental Studies in Tourism Policy and Planning at the University of Waterloo. I am appreciative of the financial assistance received from the CTO Foundation towards that end.  Additionally, I was offered a one-time scholarship to a deserving student from St. Kitts and Nevis in honour of Joseph A. France Sr. originally from Barnes Ghaut Village, Nevis.

Throughout my academic career much of my research focused on issues related to but not limited to sustainable development, agriculture, land use policies, capacity building, tourism, as well as integration among other topics. The thesis for my Master's degree focused on Agriculture and Tourism, using St. Kitts as a case study site. The resulting research was published by the University of Waterloo and is available to the public. Before attaining my Master's degree I completed a post-graduate certificate in Public Management and Governance from the University of Ottawa (2010) as well as an Honors BA in Public Policy and Administration from York University (2008).

I am quite interested in the concept and realization of sustainable development in the Caribbean region, and I am a member of the Sustainable Development Council in St. Kitts and an Executive and founding member of Holistic Education Research and Conservation (HERC-SKN), a local, data-driven, community-based organization that collects, examines, and analyses data with the aim of educating Caribbean people and institutions of behaviors and practices within social, cultural, and environmental contexts. HERC-SKN provides internships for local CFBC and Nevis 6th Form college students and works with local, regional, and international organizations, most recently working with the Ministry of Tourism in St. Kitts and Sustainable Travel International. 

I currently work in Operations at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. However, I always look for ways to engage with the Tourism sector in St. Kitts. I am eternally grateful to the CTO for the scholarship I received, and I am very proud to be a part of a growing number of Caribbean Nationals striving to make the best decisions towards a more sustainable tourism industry in the Caribbean.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raynelleennin

Year of Scholarship

2012