News Releases

Faculty of Social Sciences | BSc Management Studies with a minor in Human Resource Management | First Class Honours

 The joy of helping others and a desire to bring about change in the working world led Ronaldo Thomas to want to be an HR professional. During his years at primary school, he aimed to follow in the footsteps of those who taught him and become a primary school teacher himself, but it was a career day during secondary school that illuminated a new path for him. He recalls his interactions with HR professionals while he attended Belmont Secondary School and his time spent at an internship that fueled his interest in reshaping the experience of employees.

 Wanting to be a game-changer and an innovator, he selected his major and minor after much research and with the blessings of his family and mentors. His dedication to his chosen field comes from seeing his hard-working mother raise two children as a single parent, and he hopes to make her proud by working to be the best version of himself. As Ronaldo worked to create this best version of himself, he was sure to include a few extra-curriculars in his UWI experience. He participated in the Student Management Society, UWI Onelife and the Rotaract Club of Central Port of Spain. Even with his studies and other activities, he still made time to enjoy his favorite hobby, hiking.

 While many students may not cherish memories of classes and assignments, Ronaldo's standout moment at The UWI was a video project with his team. This task is remembered not just for the countless retakes due to uncontainable laughter, but for the bond it strengthened among the team members. Despite the challenges, they delivered an exceptional assignment, forging stronger bonds in the process. Ronaldo dreams of helping people to reach their full potential, and plans on doing this in the workplace. He aims to change the way employees, and organizations, perceive HR professionals. He also looks forward to fostering a change in the outlook of employees, by helping them embrace change as a stepping stone to even greater accomplishments.

  Mrs. Marsha Lee-Carrington

Faculty of Medical Sciences | Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

 For Marsha Lee-Carrington, nothing brings her more joy than making someone else happy, and pursuing her passion for medicine has brought her this joy. She describes how happy she is when she takes care of her patients and gets to hear their words of gratitude. From the young age of nine, she knew that medicine would be the field she would pursue. Though her circumstances did not allow her to follow this path immediately after A levels, she credits the support of her husband, her parents and her secondary school Biology teacher, Mr. Lander, as the motivation to pursue her dreams.

 Marsha did not allow any delays in her plans to derail her and achieved excellence wherever she went. While pursuing the N1 programme, she was named the most outstanding student in Chemistry, the most outstanding student in Mathematics and the most outstanding student overall. Additionally, while pursuing her MBBS degree, her love for the field of medicine and science materialized in the jobs that she held. She worked as a part-time lecturer, lab technician, chemistry demonstrator and medical assistant.

 Marsha praises the faculty and staff of The UWI for their understanding during her time as a student. It was with their support that she was able to maintain employment and fulfil her family responsibilities all while pursuing a full-time programme of study. She hopes her impeccable work ethic and determination to pursue her dreams will serve as an example to her children, who have stood by her side through it all, with cups of coffee and hugs when she most needed it.

 Caring for others and the environment are at the core of who Marsha is. She has actively participated in food drives, community recycling projects and mental health initiatives. To add to all that she has accomplished and to further enhance her role as a clinician, Marsha plans to make waves when it comes to voluntary blood donation and looks forward to seeing the day when needy patients will no longer have to wait days or weeks to receive a life-sustaining supply.

    Ms. Celeste Samuel

Faculties of Food and Agriculture & Science and Technology | BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics (Special) | Second Class Honours (Upper Division)

 Encouraged from a young to envision herself beyond the normal and to follow her heart’s desires, Celeste is grateful that her family always supported her in the pursuit of her dreams. She credits being the older child as what fostered her spirit of independence and leadership, which materialized in her serving as the Head Girl during her time at Naparima Girls High School.

 She fondly recalls her time at secondary school and credits her teachers as being the inspiration for her wanting to follow a path of making an impact in people’s lives. She’s put this drive together with her interest in food and dietetics and plans to one day become a university lecturer in this field. While she works towards this goal, she plans on learning all that she can about nutrition education, health promotion and nutrition therapy.

 Celeste chose to study at The UWI, to not only learn about her field of choice but to also expand her knowledge within the context of the Caribbean, which she knows carries with it its own dietary habits, lifestyles and challenges. Learning meant trying new things, and she tells the story of the time she and her classmates tried to make coconut cheese. The best part of this memory for her is the fun that they had doing it despite the product itself being unsuccessful. For Celeste, the journey was all part of the experience.

 In her journey, Celeste thrives off the happiness of others. She has learned that we were all made to love others, to serve others and to learn from one another. She speaks proudly of her time spent serving others as a tutor in secondary school, a youth leader at church and an active member of a student group at The UWI.

She attributes her current and future successes to God, who has purposefully placed her where she is in her life. This purpose, she knows, will be to create an impact and to nourish others.

   Mr. Kyle Bisnath

Faculty of Social Sciences | BSc International Relations (Special) with a minor in Social Development Policy and Planning | First Class Honours

 Kyle credits his unwavering passion for learning and his determination to overcome challenges to the exceptional teachers that he had in secondary school. He describes them as not just instructors but also motivators, empathetic listeners, and steadfast allies, who were consistently going above and beyond the call of duty. He believes that had he not encountered these teachers and the experiences that he had at the El Dorado East Secondary School, he would not be where he is today.

 Though International Relations was not his intended field of study, he jumped at an opportunity for learning that made him feel like he had a purpose again. Kyle has always dreamed of being in a role where he could not only represent his country, but also advocate for it, and the field of international relations reignited this aspiration and is also illuminating a path to make this dream a reality.

 He describes his time at The UWI as prolific and remembers it as the place where he not only expanded his horizons of love and learning, but also discovered the profound value of prioritizing service to others over oneself. It instilled in him a deep appreciation for community and a sense of regional identity.

 A constant source of inspiration for Kyle has been the journey of his peers, and their display of never-ending fortitude and resilience. He admires those who have steadfastly chosen to persevere even in the face of insurmountable challenges. Kyle took up the mantle of serving these peers by being an active, executive member of the campus’s Guild of Students. Despite the demands of this commitment to service, Kyle makes time to find joy in the little things, such as being at one with nature and spending time with his two dogs.

 The future diplomat attributes his success to the unwavering encouragement from his support network, who provided him with a nurturing and secure environment and reassured him of his potential to soar. And soar is exactly what he plans to do as he has made it his mission to expedite the realization of a more cohesive and unified Caribbean community.

    Mr. Lane Amichan

Faculty of Engineering | BSc Electrical and Computer Engineering | First Class Honours

 From a young age, Lane had dreams of being the Prime Minister or the President. While at Naparima College, he developed a keen interest in the Sciences, Technology and Mathematics, and while he was still unsure of exactly what path he wanted to follow in life, he did know that he wanted to apply everything he was learning towards a meaningful purpose. His passion for learning brought him monumental success in the form of an Open scholarship.

 His love of learning did not stop him from being a well-rounded student who spent his free time playing football, table tennis and chess. But Lane knows that none of his success would be possible without the steadfast support of his family, and in particular his mom. He looks forward to the day when he can provide for his family as they have always done for him.

 Lane holds in high regard his first time travelling outside of Trinidad and Tobago, which came courtesy of an opportunity at The UWI. He participated in a programme that immersed him in diverse cultures, cuisines, and music. Lane continued to shine as a top performer and as a result, was even afforded the opportunity to participate in a study trip to Panama. As he accumulates these remarkable achievements, he reflects that there's no greater satisfaction than achieving one’s goals. In fact, not only is he celebrating his own graduation, but also that of his peers who he gets to see accomplish their life goals.

 His passion for uplifting others is evident in the dedicated volunteer work and community service he undertakes. Though he dreams of changing the world, he plans on getting there by focusing on small steps. Currently, he's dedicated to refining the best version of himself. Soon, he aims to be at the forefront of the next technological revolution. Ultimately, his global aspirations lie in contributing to the digital transformation of homes and businesses, paving the way for a seamlessly connected world.

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 About The University of the West Indies

 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 for the past 75 years.

 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 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.

 The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). 

 The UWI is also featured among the leading 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.

 2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu