Vernley Ivor Ward was born on February 15, 1939 in the Pomeroon River district in Guyana. He moved to Georgetown at an early age. There, he completed his primary education at the Broad Street (now Dolphin) Government School, from which institution he won a Government County Scholarship in 1950, placing 3rd overall in the country.

Vernley entered Queen’s College in Form 2A, and attended until 1958. He excelled throughout his career at Queen’s and was always among the top of every class. He was successful at the GCE “O” Levels in 13 subjects and the “A” Levels in 4 subjects. This brilliant performance earned him a scholarship to the St. Augustine campus, Trinidad, of the UWI. There, he completed a degree in Sugar Cane Technology. After returning to Guyana, Vernley worked at Booker’s Sugar Estates at Albion, Blairmont, Enmore and Skeldon. He also worked in Trinidad and the USA before returning to Guyana in 1975 to join the Alumina Plant of the Guyana Mining Enterprise as a Process Engineer.

In 1979, Vernley left his dear land of Guyana to join his family in the USA. There, he worked as a Quality Control Officer and also as a Tax Consultant – punctuating his versatility.

In the US, Vernley also worked assiduously to start an association of Queen’s College alumni in the New York tri-state area; and the fact that the New York Chapter is so vibrant is testimony to Vernley’s tenacity. He was more than a founding member. He was always a fiercely proud member of the Queen’s College community and insisted that the alumni in the region come together in this fashion. And although he never desired an executive position in the Association, he was the cornerstone. It is a fact in the New York area that without Vernley’s efforts, the New York Chapter would not have been the organization that it is today. He was called to form an association at a higher level on September 10, 2000, the same day, ironically, that the New York Chapter had its Annual General Meeting. He left to mourn his passing, his wife Charmaine; children Sharon, Kim, Vin and Simone; and also his mother, siblings and numerous other family members, including members of the Queen’s College family.

The New York Chapter feels privileged to have been able to share with Vernley, this brief interlude we call life; and in order to perpetuate Vernley’s memory, t we have established the Vernley Ward Bursary prize to be awarded at the annual Speech Night of our Alma Mater. The Ward family has also graciously consented to match this award to fund the second year’s study of the recipient.