In what has been described as one of the most moving graduation ceremonies in recent times, Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor, the Honourable Sir George A. O. Alleyne presided over the 2016 Presentation of Graduates Ceremony for some six hundred and ninety-eight (698) new graduates from the Open Campus on Saturday, 8th October 2016. Amongst those receiving their Certificates, Diplomas, Associates, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees were nine (9) students from the UWI Open Campus Anguilla Site. Seven (7) of these, Leslie Gumbs, Jocelyne Mills, Carla Richards, Mavis Rogers, Roslyn Forde, Melesa Anderson and Monique Rollings joined their regional counterparts in St. Kitts to receive their degrees at the grand occasion.
Professor Sir Alleyne, who will retire as Chancellor at the end of the 2016/2017 academic year, congratulated and challenged the new graduates. “I take pride in congratulating you for the effort you have put in coming to this stage,” he said. “…You graduates are standing in an unbroken line of thousands of distinguished men and women who have preceded you and have left and are leaving their mark on our West Indian society for the better,” he noted in his message.
The Chancellor also took the opportunity to publicly congratulate UWI Alumnus, The Rt. Excellent Sir Kennedy Simmonds, the first living recipient of the St. Kitts and Nevis’ National Hero Award, the highest honour to be bestowed on a national. “Our Pelicans have soared in multiple fields,” said Chancellor Alleyne. “We frequently boast of the many Governors General who have graduated from our University. We boast of the many Prime Ministers or Captains of Industry, of those thousands of individuals often unsung whose patience and persistence in this daily task contribute to the life of the Caribbean as we know it today, but now I must recognise one special Pelican who has soared higher than any other has,” the Chancellor noted in praise of Dr. Sir Simmonds.
The Chancellor also had high acclaim for the UWI Open Campus’ 2016 honourary graduate, Dr. Sir Prince Ramsey of Antigua and Barbuda. Sir Ramsey received an honourary doctorate for his philanthropic work and contributions to health – especially in the field of HIV/AIDS. The UWI trained Physician/Calypso Writer, whose moving acceptance speech included a live presentation of one of his songs by Calypso Monarch Keithroy “De Bear” Morson, received a standing ovation from the audience.
The valedictory address was delivered by Rone Alexis of St. Lucia, who graduated with a Bachelor of Education Degree in Early Childhood Development and Family Studies, with First Class Honours.
The ceremony which was streamed live, was witnessed by family and friends of graduates, as well as a number of Government and University officials, including the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Shawn Richards, Governor General, His Excellency Sir Tapley Seaton, Former Governors General, His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian and His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence and Lady Lawrence and His Excellency Sir Clare Roberts of Antigua and Barbuda.
Among the UWI Officials celebrating the new graduates were Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus, Dr. Luz Longsworth and Public Orator and Director of the Open Campus Country Sites, Dr. Francis Severin. Also present and participating in the academic procession were Former Deputy Governor of Anguilla and 2016/2017 Member of the UWI Open Campus Council, Mr. Stanley Reid and Manager for the UWI British Overseas Territories, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks.
The UWI Open Campus is the virtual arm of the sixty-eight-year-old University of the West Indies. Offering multi-mode teaching and learning services through virtual and physical site locations across the Caribbean region, it is attracting increasing numbers who are opting for this affordable avenue to pursue tertiary level education.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
