Education reached a high mark in Anguilla when the UWI Open Campus staged an Alumni Awards Ceremony at La Vue Conference Centre on Friday, November 22, with all the pomp and ceremony normally accorded to such events.
Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, the Anguilla-based Manager of the UWI Open Campuses in the Caribbean Overseas Territories, delivered the opening address. “This is an afternoon of celebration, and we are delighted and so very honoured that you have taken the time to join in this celebration of our Class of 2019 and our Alumni Awardees,” she told the large audience.
Dr. Banks-Fleming continued: “Every year, the Chancellor of the University of the West Indies conducts a formal graduation ceremony for the Open Campus graduates in one of the non-campus territories. In addition, the UWI Open Campus Sites around the region also host local recognition ceremonies to honour their local graduates.
“While these smaller ceremonies cannot replace the main one, they allow our graduates to publicly share their accomplishments with those who have been most instrumental on their academic journey. So, today, we join in celebrating and applauding the accomplishments of our 2019 graduates.”
Minister of Education and Home Affairs, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, said the ceremony jointly recognised persons who successfully completed their studies at the UWI Open Campus in Anguilla and honoured UWI alumni who have made meaningful contributions to the community.
She noted: “While the UWI is not my alma mater, I have certainly heard many stories of the high standards set by the university, and the rigors that students have to go through to attain their certification. I am sure that the graduates here can attest to this.”
The Minister emphasised that “the key to Anguilla’s development is in unlocking the minds of our people through the provision of opportunities for educational advancement.” She went on: “Government will therefore continue to support the work of the UWI Open Campus and our very own Anguilla Community College. It is because through these institutions that we will develop our human capital, our most important asset.”
Mr. Stanley Reid, a Member of the UWI Open Campus Council in Anguilla, spoke on behalf of the Chancellor of the UWI. He told the graduates: “We celebrate our newest UWI graduates as well as two graduates (Dr. Lowell Hughes and Mrs Sandra York-Gumbs) whose vintage is not as recent – but who served as great examples to our recent graduates and those who are yet to come.”
Mr. Reid further stated: “This event is a celebration of all that is to be gained by accessing training via the University of the West Indies through all available avenues. I have often said that persons who endured the rigors of a UWI course, and emerged successful, deserve every commendation. Those who have endured those rigors, and having emerged successfully, have gone on to use the knowledge and experience gained, to contribute meaningfully within their sphere of influence – and deserve the highest commendation. We accord such commendation to Mrs. Sandra York Gumbs and Dr. Lowell Hughes.
“I salute all the recent graduates and our two awardees and say you have done very well.”
The 2019 graduates were: Mishline Leader, Bachelor of Science, Human Resource Management (First Class Honours); Kirsten Herbert, Bachelor of Science, International Business (First Class Honours); Jillian Abbott, Bachelor of Science, Management Studies; Rene Henry, Bachelor of Science, Social Work; Tamara Wallace, Bachelor of Education, Early Childhood & Development (First Class Honours); Cornelius Marie, Bachelor of Education, Literacy Studies; Nevon Gumbs (UWI Cave Hill), Bachelor of Science, Management Studies – Entrepreneurship; Molentiya Samuel, Bachelor of Science – Leadership & Management (UWI St. Augustine); Malene Thomas-Bryan, Jerica Crawford and April Richardson, Diploma, Health & Family Life Education Instruction; Vernice Carter, Diploma, Social Work; Tiffany Thomas, Master of Science, Management & Educational Leadership; and Iantha Rogers, Master of Science, Management Studies – HR Management (Distinction).
Following the presentation of the degrees and diplomas, Dr. Lowell Hughes of Hughes Medical Centre and Mrs. Sandra York Gumbs of the Comprehensive Learning Centre, were presented with special alumini awards as mentioned above.
