BREDDAS AND SISTERS: Soca and calypso artist Yung Bredda performs for the students at UWI LIFE 2026. PHOTOS: MOOKISH HARRYPAUL/LIFE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
After the quiet time between semesters, the St Augustine campus came to vibrant life in September with the beginning of Academic Year 2026-2027. New and returning students shuttled from halls of residence, to the Main Admin Building, the Lloyd Braithwaite Student Administration Building, and classrooms throughout the sprawling campus.
For new students in particular, these early days as university students can be overwhelming. So the campus and the students’ representative body, The UWI St Augustine Students’ Guild, made sure that they received a warm introduction to campus life and community.
On August 28, students were invited to UWI Life New Student Orientation, a half-day of activities held at the campus’s Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC). Billed as a “high-energy welcome experience packed with interactive activities, entertainment, giveaways, campus vibes, and new connections”, UWI Life was the casual counterpart to the more formal matriculation ceremony.
Hosted by Jason “JW” Williams and Something Mo’, SPEC reverberated with music, including a performance from soca and calypso artist Yung Bredda, who had the students as active on the indoor court as any sporting event. Apart from the performances and games, the event also gave the new students a chance to meet each other, faculty members, and the Guild Council, who would actualise their own plans to welcome the students a few days later.
Face-painting and drum-beating at Guild Fest 2026. PHOTOS: ANEEL KARIM
Titled “One Tribe. One Vibe. One UWI.”, Guild Fest brought the action from SPEC to the heart of the campus at the JFK Quadrangle. This annual Guild event was held from September 1 to 3, and included an expo with campus societies, booths, and eats. There were live performances, faith-based activities, music, a multitude of food stalls, and faculty events.
For returning students, it was welcome back, and for new students, it was welcome to your new home, the place where many of them will spend the next three or more years of their lives, preparing them for the professional world and making connections that will last for decades.
MR BIRD-BASTIC, MR FANTASTIC: UWI St Augustine mascot Peli gets the crowd going at UWI Life.
