Kiwanis district launches scholarship program

Kiwanis district launches scholarship program

May 21, 2025 | Fundraising, General interest, Service Leadership Programs, Service projects | 0 comments

The initiative in Jamaica will cover select SLP members’ tuition. 

By Karen Tomlinson, member of the New Kingston Kiwanis Club, Jamaica 

The Kiwanis Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District (EC&C) and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) in Kingston, Jamaica, are partnering on a historic J$9 million-plus initiative that will enable 10 outstanding students to receive a scholarship every academic year. All recipients will be current or former members of Service Leadership Program (SLP) clubs in the district, and each scholarship will cover the tuition for a two-year undergraduate associate degree program at UCC. 

The scholarships were announced at UCC in February during a district visit by 2024-25 Kiwanis International President Lee Kuan Yong. UCC Group Executive Chairman and Founder Winston Adams, UCC President Colin Gyles, and EC&C District Governor Pam Rodney-White also attended.  

The leaders emphasized that the event was more than just a scholarship launch. It also was a celebration of potential, achievement and the collective support of the academic community. 

“This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to education and service,” says Gyles. “We are honored to collaborate with Kiwanis International and the EC&C District in fostering the growth and development of our youth, who are the catalysts for positive change in our societies.” 

How it works
To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be current or former SLP members who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance and a commitment to community service. The scholarship is open to new students admitted to UCC’s undergraduate degree programs, including business administration, information technology, education, law, and health sciences. 

“Kiwanis has always been dedicated to serving the children of the world, and this scholarship is an extension of that commitment,” Rodney-White says. “We are thrilled to see these bright students receive the support they need to pursue higher education and become leaders in their communities.” 

The scholarship initiative is part of UCC’s ongoing efforts to make quality education accessible to all, regardless of financial constraints. By investing in young leaders, UCC and Kiwanis hope to create a ripple effect of positive impact across the Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District — and beyond.  

“We’re looking forward to welcoming these outstanding students to the UCC community,” Gyles says. “Their passion, dedication and service to others align perfectly with our institutional values.” 

How has your club or district supported Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs? Let us know at shareyourstory@kiwanis.org. 

Karen Tomlinson is the public relations and marketing coordinator for Kiwanis International’s Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District. 

Make membership meet service goals 

Make membership meet service goals 

May 20, 2025 | Club building, General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

Four ACE tools help ensure you have the people you need for the projects you want. 

By Tony Knoderer

People join Kiwanis clubs to make a difference in kids’ lives. That means service projects and fundraisers — and those, in turn, require members who plan, organize, publicize and participate in them. Does your club have enough members for the projects you want to do? 

Kiwanis International has the resources to help. In fact, these four Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools can help ensure that you have the membership numbers to meet your service and fundraising goals: 

  • Member survey. Does your club need to figure out what projects are best for it before making sure you have enough members to do them? Our member survey can help — by helping you understand the expectations of current members. It’s the first step to ensuring your club provides a positive experience, which depends in part on projects that fulfill the reasons members joined your club. 
  • Club vision. What does your club do, and why? The answers are key to having a clear and concise purpose. This tool will help define what the club and its members expect of each other — as well as who you want to serve and what your focus should be. With those answers, your club is on its way to bringing into focus the projects you want to do and the members you’ll need to do them. 
  • Evaluate your impact. If you’re struggling to match the number of members you have to the service you want to do, it’s time for an assessment of your situation. This tool provides the steps for analyzing current club projects and evaluating your club’s readiness for the changes necessary to meet its ambitions. 
  • Host potential members. When club members know what projects they want to do, this tool will help them recruit the new members they’ll need — by creating events that make interested people feel welcome. With the worksheet, your club can even track its work and gain feedback from guests, allowing the kinds of improvements that keep new people coming in. And the more members you have, the more realistic your club’s most ambitious service goals become. 

Don’t forget: These resources can be found on the ACE tools webpage, which includes other common concerns clubs face — and pairs them with tools that help address those issues.

3 resources for finding leaders

3 resources for finding leaders

May 16, 2025 | Club building, General interest, Leadership | 0 comments

If your club struggles to fill leadership positions, these ACE tools can help.

By Tony Knoderer

Strong Kiwanis clubs have effective leaders. The strongest clubs have a history of effective leadership — the result of a structure that makes leadership positions appealing to capable people over time.  

How does a club consistently find good leaders? Three of our Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools can help create a culture that engages members — and potential members — who fill roles that keep the club moving forward: 

  • Member survey. Start by getting to know your members and their expectations. By conducting our member survey annually, current leaders can stay aware of what people want from the club and what can be improved over time. After all, members who find value in the club experience are more likely to get more deeply involved — and eventually take leadership positions. 
  • Community survey. The same is true of people who aren’t yet members. This step-by-step tool helps gather data about community needs from people in the know. Conducted annually, it keeps your club in step with the community — including people who are more likely to join and eventually become club leaders because they see the value in your service. 
  • Host potential members. Potential recruits — and the potential club leaders among them — are more likely to join if they learn from current members what your club is all about. Are you ready to show them? This guide gives you the steps for evaluating your club’s readiness for guests and new members. As with the other ACE tools, annual usage can keep your club sharp for any opportunity to make a good impression.

Don’t forget: These resources can be found on the ACE tools webpage, which includes other common concerns clubs face — and pairs them with tools that help address those issues.