Every year at graduation time, UWI St Augustine selects some of its high-achieving graduates to represent their faculties and share messages of inspiration with the campus community. UWI TODAY is pleased to profile the 2021 Valedictorians.
“Now that I'm graduating, what I think the world needs to know about me is that I am brave, I am bold, I am focused on achieving all of my goals to arrive at where I want to be at in life.” These are the words of an assured Weston Maharaj, graduating with first-class honours in a BSc Accounting (Special), and one of two of this year’s valedictorians representing the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Maharaj, a native of Malabar, Arima, recently turned 21 and feels especially privileged to be awarded valedictorian of the graduating class most affected by the pandemic in terms of online learning being foisted upon this cohort in the middle of their degree programme.
His older sister, his strongest influence, taught Maharaj the necessity of following his own path. He recalls playing school as a toddler and today he still holds strong to the desire to become a teacher. “Teaching is one of the noblest and most rewarding jobs a person can have – you are able to give back everything you’ve learnt.”
Failure builds courage, says Maharaj, who advises even to anticipate it. And like many of his peers, he wants to assure undergrads that success in UWI life requires balance, participation to the fullest, and establishing relationships built on trust and mutual support.
Originally from Penal, Trinidad, Joshua Ramjattan, 22, recalled the many sacrifices made and struggles endured during the pursuit of his BSc Mathematics (Specialisation) at the Faculty of Science and Technology. He received first-class honours.
“To me, the entire 2021 graduating cohort is an inspiration when you consider ... the stress brought on by the knowledge that whether you passed or failed a course relied on the ability of your Wi-Fi to hold out for the duration of an online exam, or simply being isolated from the people who sat in the same classrooms as you did.”
Ramjattan, who’s fascinated by the applied aspects of mathematics, would like to pursue a career in education. At present, he’s an Associate Professional at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at The UWI, St Augustine.
“The UWI has not just provided me with a rigid foundation in my field, but also with the practical tools necessary to apply the knowledge I have gained in the workplace.” He says that one mistake undergrads should especially avoid is ignoring their mental health, and admitted to periods of overworking himself. “Mental well-being is just as important as physical health, even if it means taking a short break when studying, or scrolling through Twitter while burning the midnight oil.”
For Ramjattan, the transition to virtual learning was a difficult period. “I felt like giving up many times but somehow managed to convince myself that this could not be the thing that would break me. The mathematician in me knew that success was a function of hard work, so I did the only thing I knew would improve my chances for success – to continue working hard. I made many personal sacrifices, studied for unhealthy amounts of time, and had to reignite the zeal I once had for school. Today, I’m proud to know that it was all worth it.”
True to Gen Z values, Rondell Mungal, 24, cares deeply about community. “I am guided by a core belief in the power of radical love and freedom, and I am committed to uplifting my community and continuing the work of Caribbean creatives in our region and the diaspora.” Mungal is from Princes Town, Trinidad.
“To be recognised by The UWI... is a validation of four years of hard work. It is also the recognition of the academic and artistic excellence of the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, which I proudly represent.” Mungal received first-class honours at the Faculty of Humanities and Education with a BA, Theatre Arts with Music and Psychology.
Mungal extols Jessel Murray, Dr Dani Lyndersay, and Louis McWilliams as sources of inspiration and guidance at The UWI, and thanks personal influences Rayshawn Pierre, Cynara Dube, and Reverend Sanya Beharry for their love and support.
Mungal described himself as “someone who likes to meticulously plan out his life”. While not knowing what lay ahead “induces some anxiety, it also feels liberating—there is no script to follow.”
“The UWI has prepared me to wear my Caribbean heritage as a badge of honour, to dare to be messy in the pursuit of higher standards of innovation and excellence, and to be bold and unapologetic as I take up space.”
“Although your university journey may seem quite long, one day it will be over. So make the most of it! Don’t limit your university experience to just attending lectures and writing papers. Get to know the people around you - make friends! Sign up for a club or take a co-curricular course. Get involved!”
Jensen Samaroo, 22, graduating with a BSc, Political Science with International Relations describes his home village of Port Kaituma, Guyana as his “Garden of Eden”. Greatly inspired by his love for people and his childhood friend Chelsea James, Samaroo believes that friendships are what make life worthwhile. He is proud of his Caribbean heritage and is committed to advancing the call for Caribbean integration.
He names the most influential person in his time at The UWI as Amilcar Sanatan, who “played a very critical role in shaping my thinking as a citizen of the Caribbean and also greatly helped shape my activism and influenced the eventual leadership roles I took up”.
Samaroo advises to “avoid living through the fears of others” as people “set themselves up for failure when they allow the projected fears of others to influence how they approach courses and university life in general.”
Pandemic challenges brought “an opportunity to reflect even more on what my strengths and weaknesses were... You know what you’re capable of, what your limitations are, and how much work you need to put in to turn those limitations into capabilities.”
Unique to Samaroo’s cohort is having had the pandemic disrupt their course of study midway into their degree. “The drive was not there for many who preferred face-to-face interaction and learning, which the virtual space tried to mimic but could not fully replace. If anything, my cohort is perhaps one of the best examples of perseverance and resilience in the face of challenges.”
Having obtained first-class honours, Samaroo is now enrolled in the LLB programme.
Dr Ryley Vernon, one of two female valedictorians this year, is 24 and from Montego Bay, Jamaica. She says that like most other graduates, she is not sure where she will end up, but “won’t be stressing as I continue my journey in finding out who I am.”
Vernon earned her DVM With Distinction at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mt Hope, Trinidad. She says that “It was an unexpected honour to be awarded valedictorian of my faculty; a little cherry on top of my experience at this establishment. I carry great pride with me that I have earned my wings as a Pelican in the best way.”
Her grandmother Marguerite influenced her the most, often checking in on her and supporting her with “her persistent, diligent nature”.
She says that one mistake that undergrads should especially avoid is overloading. “Trying to maintain a balance is easier said than done but it is very crucial to keeping your sanity when doing a degree.” Consistency is what carried Vernon through her studies.“One of the biggest challenges I had to face was travelling back to Trinidad from my home country to finish my studies in the middle of the pandemic. My final year was mostly practical and I could not complete it online. I had to face lockdowns, numerous quarantine periods and take extra safety precautions all while being away from my family at a very crucial time. I have discovered a level of strength in myself that I did not know I had, and I would like everyone to know that they have it in them as well. My high school motto that has stuck with me throughout my life is Ad Astra per Aspera – To the stars through difficulties.”
“Your word is your bond - so if I say I’ll do something, I commit to it!” - this is Selena Mohammed’s personal philosophy that she takes with her from The UWI. Mohammed, 22, is from Diego Martin, Trinidad, and describes herself as “determined, dedicated and resilient”. This disposition proved essential to “the biggest obstacle along the journey of my degree”, her final year project. She often thought of quitting, but prayer, therapy and her support system propelled her to the finish line. “Never underestimate the power of seeking help! We weren’t designed to do everything on our own.”
Mohammed received upper second-class honours for her BSc in Petroleum Geoscience at the Faculty of Engineering. “We operate at our optimum when our lives are balanced,” she said.
“Being awarded valedictorian...proves to me that being the smartest, or the best at everything is not what’s important. What’s important is being balanced; having academia as a priority while also having a social life, knowing how to converse with others and how to listen.” Mohammed, who admires her sister’s determination in the pursuit of her own studies, cites her as being the most influential person in her UWI life. She says while the workload didn’t get easier, life became more bearable as it became infused with happiness from her supportive parents, friends, and her dog Bo. She is currently employed at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI).“Everything will not always be laid out in front of you, and the path you should take will not always be clear...mistakes are inevitable and usually produce important tools that we can take with us.” Mohammed offered more words of wisdom for undergrads. She says to avoid
“Sticking to yourself and not trying to help others! You make your life unnecessarily harder when you decide against being a team player.
Manoeuvring through your university experience is significantly better when you have friends and people you can depend on.”
