Sixteen Bermudian students were given a boost last week with more than $100,000 in grants being handed out in the Ministry of Tourism/Royal Caribbean Cruise Line hospitality scholarship scheme.

In a ceremony on the Royal Caribbean ship Empress of the Seas onThursday, acting Minister of Tourism and Transport, Sen. Larry Mussenden handed out the awards for students whose studies will support Bermuda's tourism in the future.

Recipients included students from the Bermuda College as well as schools abroad.

Receiving the major awards of $15,000 per annum were: Aaran Swan, a student at Baltimore International College majoring in Hotel and Inn Keeping Management; JaJa Millet, also at Baltimore International College, majoring in Hospitality Management with a focus in Professional Cooking and Baking; and Cindy Hooper who attends Florida International University and is studying Hospitality management.

The scholarship is a collaborative project between the cruise line, the Dept. of Tourism and the National Training Board and was created in 2000 as a fund to assist Bermudians pursuing careers in the hospitality industry.

In addition to the three $15,000 awards handed out on Thursday, a $10,000 scholarship was granted to Public Relations student Sionna Barton who is studying at the State University of New York.

Receiving $5,000 each, was Johnson and Wales student Gareth Booth, University of New Brunswick student Kijean Dill, and Mount St. Vincent students Nichell Sticca and Jereme Ramsay.

Scholarships for $3,500 went to seven Bermuda College Students: Takisha Steede, Amanda Durrant, Malcolm O'Mara, Unray Waldron, Sharica Robinson, Terrence Simmons and Ruth Ann Hunt. The grants will allow the students to continue their studies in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Hospitality Studies.

Also at the Bermuda College is Crystal Lambert who received $1,500 to continue studying Hospitality Management.

Commenting on the collaborative scholarship fund, Sen. Mussenden said: "By pooling our resources and increasing career choices our organisations are enhancing our ability to develop future leaders of Bermuda's hospitality industry."