Ten graduates of the University of the West Indies will be acknowledged during the UWI Open Campus British Virgin Islands (BVI) Graduate Recognition Ceremony which will be held on Thursday October 28, 2021 at the campus site in Paraquita Bay.
This was confirmed in a media release by the University of the West Indies which also revealed that Chair of UWI’s Open Campus Council, Dr. June Soomer and Deputy Premier and Minister with responsibility for Education, Dr. Natalio Wheatley will participate in the 4pm ceremony.
Of those ten graduates, seven are from the UWI Open Campus and recently were conferred with their degrees during the recent Virtual Graduation Ceremony on October 16, 2021.
They are Michael Smith, Kamica Harris, Simone Simpson-Pope, Rodney Brathwaite, Tavia Hodge, Heida Joyles-Selwood and Dr. Susan Frett-Potter.
Smith, Harris and Pope were awarded Bachelor of Science Degrees in Accounting, Management Studies/Economics and Youth Development Work, respectively, while Brathwaite was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Risk Management and Resilience.
Hodge received the Master of Science in Management and Joyles-Selwood was awarded the Master of Science Management and Education Leadership with Distinction. Dr. Susan Frett-Potter became the first to be bestowed a UWI Open Campus BVI Doctor of Education degree in the territory.
Meanwhile, three graduates from the Cave Hill and Mona Campuses will also be recognised during the local ceremony: Khyra Powell and Sade’ Piper (Bachelor of Laws) and Mornel Horne for Master of Social Sciences Intel Trade Policy.
Dr. Soomer, who is currently in the BVI on other official business, was recently awarded the prestigious Saint Lucia Cross, the country’s highest national award, during Saint Lucia’s 41st Anniversary of Independence.
She was appointed Chair of the Open Campus Council in 2018 after serving as Saint Lucia’s Ambassador to the OECS and CARICOM with responsibility for Diaspora Affairs from 2008-2016. Most recently Dr. Soomer was Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States until 2020. She will deliver the Keynote Address and present the Graduates with their degrees.
Deputy Premier Dr. Wheatley will bring greetings during the ceremony.