Two representatives of The Bahamas Ministry of Education recently spent a few days in Oswego to bolster efforts to bring more students from that nation to SUNY Oswego.

Officials from the ministry’s Scholarship and Educational Loan Division -– Administrator Tonia Ferguson and Consultant Sophia Rolle –- met with university leaders including President Peter O. Nwosu, faculty and students to support a memorandum of understanding between SUNY Oswego and The Bahamas to provide opportunity for students in priority education fields.

Areas of emphasis for The Bahamas include business and entrepreneurship, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), communications and media, education and teacher preparation, and environmental studies – fields where Oswego offers traditional strengths.

The visitors saw firsthand reasons why Oswego can be a good option for students from The Bahamas.

Despite coming during February, which looks different in Oswego than it does back home, “I thought the campus was beautiful,” Rolle said. 

“All meetings provided helpful insights into the university's operational standards,” Rolle said. “I was particularly excited about the conversation with President Nwosu about academic plans and the way forward for microcredentialing and other significant pedagogical initiatives across academic fields.”

“Oswego is intentional about progress,” Ferguson said. “Your institution is all about getting better, progression with your curriculum and adapting to changing times.”

Ferguson thought some Bahamian students might actually enjoy the snow –- and that students would definitely love the vitality and vibrancy the campus offers.

'Growth is everything'

“You have to love that in a learning environment where growth is everything,” Ferguson noted. “Your social atmosphere and the amount of involvement opportunities are remarkable.”

Many Bahamanians come from smaller family islands, with a very rural population of only hundreds of people. “Coming here to thousands of students, they have opportunities to find themselves in a smaller environment, and many opportunities to further themselves,” Rolle said.

“Students from The Bahamas have always attended SUNY Oswego,” Rolle explained. “We are especially delighted to be reconnecting our students with this university at a time when many Bahamian parents are seeking a smaller, yet academically rigorous, institution.”

Under the agreement, Bahamian students are eligible for up to $15,000 in scholarships per year upon applying, including a $9,000 Destination Scholarship and another $6,000 in merit scholarships.

Traveling to SUNY Oswego is not very challenging, and campus has proven welcoming when students arrive, Rolle noted. 

“The services offered to students to help them successfully matriculate are top-notch,” Rolle said. “From our end, we will do all we can to assist the university in promoting the benefits of attending SUNY Oswego. The Government of The Bahamas thanks SUNY Oswego for its partnership in providing its students with the opportunity to further their education in a safe environment.”

The visiting officials learned or confirmed what many international students and supporters already know, said Joshua McKeown, associate provost for international education and programs, who noted that the Ministry's visit came ten years nearly to the day since his office established the recruiting relationship there initially through Junior Achievement of The Bahamas.

“Oswego has developed an outstanding reputation for making international students feel welcomed, valued and an important part of the community,” McKeown said. “The Bahamian government has areas where they want their students to go learn and bring back the knowledge, and these line up nicely with things Oswego does well.”

Success stories

Successful students from The Bahamas include Aiden Wilson, a May 2025 graduate, former Student Association president and now a professional staff member in Oswego’s Office of Financial Aid. McKeown and Wilson visited the Ministry in October to meet officials and discuss the renewal of the scholarship agreement as part of a renewed recruitment and marketing campaign there.

Wilson first heard of Oswego from agent Erica Morris of Legacy College Tours, who “knows that Oswego takes care of Bahamian students, all students really,” said Wilson, who earned degrees in finance and marketing. “The business program is well-known and it’s good that it’s in New York state.”

Oswego’s location on Lake Ontario was an advantage as well for students like Wilson used to being around water.

“I wanted a chance to be on a lake so I could feel at home at times,” Wilson said. “Once I was able to get involved in campus it transformed my experience. The people here are great and they care about students. As a campus, we’re not too big and not too small.”

Wilson embodies the benefits of getting involved: In addition to the SA presidency, he served as treasurer for multiple student organizations, and was a Laker Leader orientation guide, peer mentor for the Advancing Completion through Engagement program, teaching assistant and much more.

Wilson tells students that Oswego is a quick flight from New York City, and connected to a “great community” in a smaller city that they won’t find too overwhelming.

Wilson has had the opportunity to visit The Bahamas on behalf of his alma mater to work college fairs, and sees where the university offers a good fit.

“The first thing I ask is what program they are interested in, and most of the time we have that program in some way,” Wilson said, noting that Oswego’s business and engineering programs are among the most popular among many attractive offerings.

“Oswego is a great school to be at, with a great community happy to see you thrive academically, professionally and socially,” he said.

For more information on the program, visit the Opportunities for Bahamian Students website.