News Releases

Rocket Scientist Prepares Students To Launch Their Careers at The UWI RBL WOW 2024/2025 Programme

For Release Upon Receipt - October 11, 2024

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. October 11, 2024 – Three years is the length of time it took for The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St. Augustine campus' Careers, Co-curricular and Community Engagement Department, Division of Student Services and Development (DSDD), to land featured speaker, Dr. Camille Wardrop Alleyne, renowned aerospace engineer, space scientist, and entrepreneur for The UWI RBL World of Work (WOW) Seminar and Launch. But when Dr. Alleyne found out that the 2024 theme was Mission: Planet World of Work: Prepare to Launch, the stars aligned. 

Dr. Alleyne’s presence at the event was made possible by the support of the CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean——and generated much excitement among the audience of students, faculty, and administrators who gathered to discover the history and highlights of the WOW programme. The event, held annually, remains an ever-permanent fixture among The UWI’s student engagement activities with the aim of shaping the future professionals with the skills they need to succeed. As outlined by Professor Derek Chadee, Deputy Principal, “This generation can redefine industries, create solutions for burning issues, and develop the technologies that will power the next century. That’s why this programme is so crucial. It’s not just preparing you for jobs—it’s preparing you to be leaders, change-makers, and innovators.”

 Similarly, Michelle Joseph-Dindial, Branch Sales Manager, UWI Republic Bank, emphasised how as WOW’s title sponsor, “Republic Bank is here to support you every step of the way – whether in your academic life, your career, or the personal milestones that are part of your unique path to success.” Successful WOW graduands gave testimonies about the way the programme allowed them to adjust and adapt to the dynamic nature of the workforce through its workshops and seminars like resume building, interview preparation, LinkedIn optimisation, and developing your personal brand, among others. Dr. Alleyne then took centre stage.

After an almost five-minute introduction of her extensive credentials, Dr. Alleyne joked that “we would have been here all day!” and talked openly about the trajectory it took for her career to take orbit. She stressed that the key to navigating your career is embracing unpredictability and believing in yourself. From a young age, she let her curiosity and intelligence guide her into distant, unknown spaces, even when faced with rejection. “Follow your passion. My passion was space…I wanted to be an aerospace engineer, and people may look at you sideways, but that didn’t deter me; I just had my mindset... You just have to believe in yourself even when other people around you don’t.” This persistence enabled her to chart to the top of NASA, where she served as a senior leader for over 29 years. She underscored the need for students to find mentors and reach for the stars, even if the destination is uncharted territory. “The formula for me is dreaming big dreams, discovering your life's calling, believing in yourself, and your power to manifest your dreams will lead you to reach your fullest potential."

After 23 years, The UWI RBL programme continues to take students’ careers into new multiverses because according to Ag. Director of the Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD), Kathy-Ann Lewis, “We have developed a tried-and-proven blueprint for designing interventions that are responsive to the needs of our students and stakeholders.”

Access Dr. Alleyne's speech as well as other memorable moments from The UWI RBL World of Work (WOW) 2024/2025 Launch and Seminar at The UWI St. Augustine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T65O-CbTFY

About Dr. Camille Wardrop-Alleyne

Dr. Camille Wardrop Alleyne is the Founder and CEO of Arusha Space, LLC, a geospatial analytics and global space consulting company that uses space-based technology for solving challenges on Earth and in space. She is an accomplished and results-driven executive and former senior leader at NASA who dedicated her 29-year career leading change and advancing the areas of aerospace and space technology

development. She was a leading architect in the commercialization of space, enabling $B space economies in low earth orbit and on the moon and was the first African American to lead a major human space flight program at NASA, Johnson Space Center. She served as the Deputy Program Manager for the Commercial LEO Development Program and the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, in addition to the Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Science Mission

Website: https://www.camillewalleyne.com/

About The UWI RBL (WOW) Programme

The UWI RBL World of Work (WOW) Programme is an academic yearlong initiative designed to give final year students the tools to transition from university life into the professional environment. These tools cover a range of practical knowledge such as, how to write your resume, how to prepare for a job interview and learning how to articulate your strengths, career goals, and knowledge of the field. This is done through a series of workshops, seminars and practical sessions designed to impart information to students and allow them to practice these skills. Some of these workshops and activities include, Resume Writing, Managing Interview Anxiety, Mock Interviews, VIP Networking Cocktail, and Getting Started on LinkedIn.

Website: https://sta.uwi.edu/dssd/world-work-programme

Dr. Camille Wardrop-Alleyne, aerospace engineer and space scientist delivers her inspiring feature address at the WOW 2025 Seminar and Launch.

 

 [L-R] Ms. Vianney-Marie Williams - student testimonial speaker, Mrs. Wynell Gregorio -Director of The Marketing and Communications Office The UWI St Augustine Campus, Ms. Michelle Dindial - Branch Sales Manager RBL UWI, Dr. Camille Wardrop-Alleyne - aerospace engineer and space scientist, Ms. Kathy-Ann Lewis - Ag. Director of the Division of Student Services and Development and Mr. Khamal Georges Communications Lead for the Caribbean at CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Professor Derek Chadee, Deputy Principal of The UWI St Augustine Campus giving remarks at the WOW 2025 Seminar and Launch. 

 

 Ms. Michelle Dindial, Branch Sales Manager RBL giving remarks on behalf of title sponsor Republic Bank Limited at the WOW 2025 Seminar and Launch

 

Ms. Kathy-Ann Lewis, Ag. Director of the Division of Student Services and Development gives opening remarks at the WOW 2025 Seminar and Launch. 

 

Students listen on as Dr Camille Wardrop-Alleyne delivers her inspiring feature address at the WOW 2025 Seminar and Launch.  

About The University of the West Indies

 The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier, higher education institution. One of only two regional universities in the world, it comprises five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE).

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu

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