Ms. Tisa Donovan has been officially recognised as the first Virgin Islands national to graduate from an Asian university under the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme, earning a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Taipei Medical University (TMU) in Taiwan.
A recognition ceremony was held last week by the Premier’s Office in collaboration with the Hong Kong Asia Office to honour Donovan’s achievement. The event also celebrated current scholarship recipients and newly enrolled students preparing to study in Asia.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley, commended Donovan’s milestone achievement, describing it as a historic moment for both the Territory and the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme.
“You have made history on multiple fronts,” Premier Wheatley said. “As the first graduate of the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme, the first Virgin Islander to graduate from TMU, and the first to graduate from a Taiwanese university. You have set a high standard and made us extremely proud.”
Reflecting on her experience, Donovan described her time at Taipei Medical University as transformative. “I had the privilege of learning in a world-class academic environment, surrounded with persons of all walks of life,” she said. “To the new cohort of students preparing to embark on this incredible journey, be brave. This is a chance not just for an academic opportunity but a chance to discover who you are outside of the familiar. Walking on faith is not easy—leaving your family, your comfort, and everything around you can be terrifying—but it is in that space of uncertainty where the growth happens.”
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of the Virgin Islands and Little Dix Bay Resorts. The MOU aims to strengthen support for Virgin Islands students studying in Asia through public-private partnership.
Premier Wheatley encouraged more Virgin Islanders to pursue their academic ambitions through the programme, which is designed to expand access to global education and strengthen the Territory’s links with the Asia-Pacific region.
The BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme is part of a three-way funding arrangement involving the Virgin Islands Government, partnering Asian universities, and the private sector. The initiative builds upon the Territory’s longstanding 30-year relationship with the Asia-Pacific through financial services and seeks to expand opportunities in academic, cultural, and professional exchange.
Scholarships are offered in a range of disciplines critical to the Territory’s development, including Computer Science, Engineering, Education, Public Health, Public Policy, Tourism and Hospitality, Mandarin Chinese, and Environmental and Sustainable Development.
