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The UWI announces 2021 graduation ceremonies and honorary degree conferrals

For Release Upon Receipt - August 16, 2021

UWI


Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, Monday, August 16, 2021—For their outstanding contributions to regional and international development, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) will present honorary degrees to 14 eminent persons at its 2021 graduation ceremonies. 

Nominations from across The UWI’s five campuses were approved by the University Council, at its sitting on April 30, 2021. These 2021 graduands will join a list of over 450 honorary degree recipients conferred by the regional University since 1965.  

The UWI retains this annual tradition of the conferral of honorary degrees even as some of its graduations are expected to again be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this time during the customary ‘graduation season’ of October-November. 

Last month, a special convocation was permitted to confer an Honorary Doctor of Science degree (DSc) on Dr Ruby Lake-Richards, one of the first 33 medical students who attended The UWI (then University College of the West Indies). Now 99 years old, she is also the first female, UWI graduate from Antigua and Barbuda. The ceremony hosted by The UWI Five Islands marked the first honorary degree awarded at the University’s newest campus. In September, another special convocation will be held for the conferral of a Doctor of Laws on Her Excellency Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, GCMG, DA, QC, Governor-General of Barbados. 

The schedule for the 2021 graduation and list of the 14 honorary graduands’ conferrals at those ceremonies are as follows:

 

Five Islands Campus

Sunday, October 10

Honorary Graduands:

Dr George A. Mansoor (Physician, Educator and Entrepreneur) - Doctor of Science (DSc)

Sir Anderson Montgomery Everton Roberts (Former Cricketer) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

 

Open Campus

Saturday, October 16

Honorary Graduand:

Mr George S. Willie, CPA, CGMA, CGFM (International Auditor, Leader and Philanthropist) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

 

Cave Hill Campus

Saturday, October 23

Honorary Graduands:

Mr Nicholas Brancker (Musician, Reggae Producer) - Doctor of Letters (DLitt)

Sir Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge, KCMG, MBE (Former Cricketer) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

Mr Desmond Leo Haynes (Former Cricketer) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

 

St. Augustine Campus

Thursday, October 28, Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30

Honorary Graduands:

Mr Ray Anthony Holman (Musician, Educator) - Doctor of Letters (DLitt)

Dr Roshan A. Parasram (Medical Practitioner) - Doctor of Science (DSc)

Mr Sieunarine Persad Coosal (Entrepreneur, Philanthropist) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

Mrs Lynette Seebaran Suite (Attorney at Law) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

 

Mona Campus

Thursday, November 4 and Friday, November 5

Honorary Graduands:

Ms Alia Shanee Atkinson, CD (Sport Icon) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

Mr Gary ‘Butch’ Craig Hendrickson (Philanthropist) - Doctor of Laws (LLD)

Mr Linton Kwesi Johnson (Poet) - Doctor of Letters (DLitt)

The Honourable Oliver Adolphus Samuels, OD, CD (Cultural Icon) - Doctor of Letters (DLitt)

 

End.

 

Note to the Editor

 

About The UWI

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

 

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

 

Ranked among the top universities in the world, by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. In 2020, it earned ‘Triple 1st’ rankings—topping the Caribbean; and in the top in the tables for Latin America and the Caribbean, and global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the top universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

 

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.

 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

 

 

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