Welcome to the Jamaica Howard University Affinity Network affectionately known as JHUAN, pronounced “J1.”  We are very excited to be the first affinity network formally launched at Howard University bringing a new model for student and community engagement tied to a specific purpose.  Our mission is to serve Jamaican students at Howard University through scholarship, mentorship, skill building, and networking while inspiring them to give back to Jamaica and to Howard University.  We also provide some support to student life activities in partnership with Howard University Caribbean Students Association (HUCSA) to foster greater relationships across the Caribbean students.

When Audrey Marks, Jamaican Ambassador to the USA, and Dr. Wayne Frederick, President of Howard University, asked me to explore ways to help Jamaican students at Howard University, I immediately said yes! When I entered Howard University in 1986, I surely would not have found my footing without the support of Jamaican and Caribbean students. Additionally the engagement with the broader Jamaican community, including Jamaican faculty at the University was an overall uplifting experience.  My story is not unique and it is one of the special experiences and additional benefits that Jamaican students enjoy at Howard. Having said that, the majority of Jamaican, Caribbean and other International students are challenged to find the resources they need to not only survive, but indeed to have a chance at thriving in what is typically a very different environment for them.

JHUAN was created to help fill the gap! To engage with Jamaican students, connect them with the community, and to help them successfully matriculate from Howard University and fulfill their potential.  Jamaican students and graduates of Howard University have had a long history of success at Howard and around the world! The diversity of experiences inside and outside of the classroom provided by this treasured institution of higher learning, coupled with the Jamaican, Caribbean and broader International student flavor is simply special!

We invite you to learn more about us, engage with us, and become a part of the JHUAN  community. If you are wondering why, just remember that if you love or are connected to Jamaica or to Howard University, then engaging with JHUAN is for you! Join us in making a difference!