family members and others
Incoming President Dr. Kenneth Williams Congratulates Mr. and Mrs. Telemaque on the Occasion of their Daughter’s Graduation with High Honours
In February 2017, the Board of Governors of the Anguilla Community College (ACC) established, through a Memorandum of Understanding, an articulation agreement with Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, USA, to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) opportunities for students from Anguilla. ACC identified three students from Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS) to become Anguilla’s first ambassadors for this opportunity. The first three scholarships recipients were Kashamar Lewis (Computer Science), Mmelona Hughes (Computer Science), and Chrisel Telemaque (Biology).
Chrisel Telemaque graduated magna cum laude in summer 2020. Her proud parents are Leonard and Vina Telemaque of Back Street, South Hill, proprietors of Vinty’s Vegetables. Chrisel’s father, Mr Leonard Telemaque, is no stranger to ACC, having completed his teacher certification with ACC as well as having worked closely with Mr. Neville Hamilton, the President of the past ACC Student Council, in establishing a games evening at ACC offering chess classes. Having excelled at Lincoln University, Chrisel expects to continue her education by starting her Master of Public Health programme at Temple University, Pennsylvania, in January 2021.
Founded in 1854, Lincoln University was the United States’ first degree-granting, Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Its main campus is located on 422 acres near the town of Oxford in Pennsylvania, with a second location in University City, Philadelphia. The institution has a long history of producing distinguished graduates. Among them is Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court. Justice Marshall successfully argued the landmark 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, playing a key role in helping to end legal segregation during the civil rights movement. Other notable alumni include Langston Hughes, an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance; Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria; and Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana.
During her time at Lincoln, Chrisel completed a Summer Internship at the Fox Chase Cancer Centre (FCC) under the leadership of Professor Camille Ragin, founder of the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3). Anguilla’s relationship with FCC came as a result of ACC’s first president, Professor Delroy Louden, who, prior to coming to Anguilla, had established linkages through a US National Cancer Institute where he was a co-investigator. During Prof. Louden’s 2014 Installation, several members of the Fox Chase community were in attendance and met with the then Minister of Education, Mr Edison Baird, and Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, Permanent Secretary Education.
Discussions were held on establishing a cancer registry in Anguilla, as well as a partnership with the Government of Anguilla to conduct studies to better understand the genetic, behavioral, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause cancer. FCC also helped conduct cancer prevention workshops. FCC’s CEO, Dr. Robert Beck, later visited Anguilla and met with several local physicians and health providers regarding FCC support in obtaining funding.
Since the Anguillian population is overwhelmingly of African descent, this provided an opportunity for Anguilla to be involved in multi-centre investigations addressing the role of genetics and ancestry in cancer epidemiology and possibly a Cancer Education and Information Centre located within ACC. This Lincoln and Fox Chase partnership was designed to train Lincoln students and faculty capable of conducting first-class biomedical and population-based research, and to implement joint research projects that attack cancer health disparities. A secondary objective was to develop collaborative research projects enhancing Lincoln faculty’s ability to pursue National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support discrete, specified, circumscribed projects in areas representing their specific interests and competencies. The partnership utilised a community-based participatory research approach. Dr. Ragin continues to work with Anguilla Community Action Network (ACAN) particularly in providing training as well as resources and linkages. She also provides information and opportunities for external interaction to the Anguilla Cancer Society.
In responding to congratulations, Chrisel Telemaque said that she was grateful for the support and encouragement of her parents and all who made an invaluable contribution to her success especially Dr. Delroy Louden, former President of the Anguilla Community College, Mrs. Janine Edwards of Sunset Homes and Mr. Hugo ‘Brother’ Hughes of South Hill.
The Anguilla Community College extends congratulations to Chrisel Telemaque and her family, and encourages residents of Anguilla to pursue tertiary education and training.
For opportunities offered at Anguilla Community College contact us by telephone (264) 498-8395, WhatsApp 476-8359 or Email info@acc.edu.ai.
– Press Release
