From mid-October to early November, a caravan of sorts has been winding its way through the Caribbean. This group, made up of some of the most senior personnel of The University of the West Indies, has been taking part in the University’s graduation 2024 ceremonies on all of the Campuses.
Graduation is our single most important occassion. We celebrate our students, recognise our work as educators, share the output of the university with society, and reaffirm our regional character. It is a time of great resonance for us all, especially the students and their loved ones. It is an annual reminder of our mission and why it matters.
The greatest beneficiary of this graduating class will be Caribbean society itself. The UWI has unleashed the next crop of young professionals, business people, artists, academics, scientists, and patriotic citizens. We have helped to cultivate human potential that our collection of islands requires to sustain themselves.
At our graduation ceremonies this year at UWI St Augustine, I was particularly pleased that we were able to bestow honorary degrees on Mr Maniram Ragbir and Dr Patricia Rodney. These are not only experts in their field (plastic surgery and public health respectively), but outstanding CARICOM citizens who have been beacons of light, inspiring many others with their passion for social justice.
Mr Ragbir has educated many junior surgeons in T&T and the region, he has also taken part in humanitarian missions and performed free reconstructive surgery on people in several developing countries. As an expert in public health, Dr Rodney’s work includes advocating for equitable healthcare across Africa. For many, she is known as the widow of assassinated Guyanese historian Dr Walter Rodney. However, in her own right, she has stood for equality and human rights.
Together, these honorary graduates are examples to our graduating class that they can operate at the highest levels in their fields, provide for themselves and their families, and still make a powerful contribution to humanity – not just their communities or countries.
This is an important counter message in an age where unfortunately, some of the most prominent voices, globally, focus on self-interest, personal enrichment, and power for its own sake. The UWI, apart from its mission to educate students, has always made instilling the values of good citizenship a priority.
This graduation was the first for our new Chancellor, Dr Dodridge Miller. He is, as the great Black Stalin sang, a “Caribbean Man” with more than three decades of experience as a leader in the world of insurance, banking, and finance. Chancellor Miller gave an outstanding address to the graduating class, advising them to think globally, and was an uplifting and inspirational presence at the ceremonies. It was a pleasure to welcome him into The UWI’s regional community and host him at the St. Augustine Campus.
However, the graduation ceremonies were bittersweet because of the departure of our last Chancellor, Mr Robert Bermudez who was a steady presence at Campus and university events. He is a man of great intellect and deep understanding of Caribbean society. He served The UWI faithfully during his tenure and we at the St Augustine campus community wish him well.
Most of all, we wish our new graduates, who now move on to the next stage in their lives, all the best. University life is very challenging, but it is also very structured. The institution provides the tools they need and the right road map for success.
The world outside the campus’s gates might seem deceptively less onerous, and in some ways may be easier. Our graduates must choose their challenges and embrace strategies to achieve their goals and persevere. That can be daunting. However, I have faith in their ability to find their way, to prosper and help others. After all, the assets that The UWI have given them during their years of study are valuable beyond the campus as well.
On behalf of UWI St Augustine, I congratulate all of our graduates. I look forward to seeing their promise made manifest – for themselves and for humanity.
