November 2012


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I would like to begin by congratulating all of us here today on reaching this significant point in our lives. This is one of those moments which shall forever be engrained in our memories; a moment which we will hopefully one day look back on with pride in our accomplishments.

It is nothing less than an honour and a privilege to be selected to deliver the valedictory address this morning. I am humbled to have been given this opportunity to represent the graduating class of the Faculty of Social Sciences 2012. Indeed, this is not my address – this is our address.

Today is a day of celebration. It is a day to reminisce – to look back on the years that we have spent at this institution and appreciate all that we have achieved. As I stand before you today, I see myself as your equal. We have all encountered the same hardships and experienced the same joys in university life, and thus we are all equals on this day. It is therefore difficult for me to say anything that you don’t already know. However, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the past few years as seen not only through my eyes, but through our eyes.

For many of us, our journey began as we left the sheltered halls of our respective secondary schools and found ourselves in this new world of responsibility and commitment. For some of us, it was the opportunity to return to school and build ourselves further, taking on the even more monumental task of balancing academic studies with non-academic commitments to family, work and so on. While some of us came to this institution with great certainty as to our academic path, some of us entered still trying to find our niche. We’ve experienced registration week, being confused about what courses to take, getting lost, and having to ask people how to find places. Then there was Fresher’s week, with all of the activities and giveaways. And then somewhere along the way, we all realized “wait, we have to go to class.” So, we diligently attended our classes – some easier to follow than others, some more interesting than others, and some which helped us to find some place in this academic world where we felt at ease.

We’ve had a lot of good times – be it liming in SAC or Rituals or under the trees by LRC, or enjoying watching cricket and football matches around campus, or even in some classes where the lecturers would capture our attention and have us laughing to the point that we forget to take notes. I’m sure we’ve all made great friends, people who are genuine and considerate, and who have understood exactly what we were going through during this time. And then of course we cannot forget our experiences with having to cross the rivers in UWI that formed when it rained, nor can we forget the UWI pets – all of those dogs who we’ve either fed and played with, or sometimes tried to run from.

We’ve had to face the rigours of academic life – struggling to finish coursework assignments on time, dealing with mid-semester exams seeming to come so soon, and us basically turning into zombies during exam time when going to bed at 5am and having breakfast at 2pm seemed almost routine. And of course we have all faced our challenges with group projects, seemingly endless readings, and then somehow trying to learn all that we had to without going crazy. But guess what, we’ve made it out alive! And now here we are today - for our graduation ceremony – ready to take the next step in life.

At this point in time, I see it fit that we offer our sincerest appreciation to all of those who have helped us to reach where we are today – we must express our thanks to God, our parents, extended family, friends, significant others, neighbours, people in the community, lecturers, members of staff of The UWI and all other people who have provided a source of support for us. To all those who have inspired us in some way, who have provided an ear to listen and words of wisdom, a shoulder to cry on, a plate of food, and hearty laughs, we salute you. My fellow graduates, I ask that you please stand and give a hearty round of applause to show our appreciation to all of those people in our lives.

Today marks the formal end of one chapter in our lives and the beginning of a new path. It is therefore equally important that we take time to look to the future. I wish to render a famous quote which has particular resonance for me, but also one which I believe may be significant for all those here today. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” What strikes me the most about this quote is not that Gandhi emphasizes our role as agents of change, but it is his use of the word “we.” This change is not merely what I want to see, but it is what we want to see happen. I interpret this use of “we” to emphasize our social responsibility and that moving forward in society is a striving that must be undertaken collectively. If anything, our time spent here at The UWI has taught us about the commonality of human experiences, and the need to take collective responsibility to develop the world in which we live. Always remember that every single person is equally important, regardless of area of study. Be it the doctor, the physicist, the social worker, the artist, or any other profession, we are all part of a greater whole, aimed at making a difference for future generations. Only through working together can our dreams for a better world be realized. In the words of music icon Yoko Ono, “a dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”

So, the question remains… what next for us? For many of us, our government has invested in us and we have made tremendous sacrifices in order to achieve the rewards we are now reaping. Today we must recognize that being educated here at The UWI is not a disadvantage, but rather, it places us at the forefront of Caribbean development. We do not have to consider ourselves the future leaders of the region. The future – our future – begins today. We are already leaders. Being educated here in the Caribbean affords us the opportunity to understand our culture and our context even better. Who else can lead the Caribbean region into a brighter future other than ourselves? As we reach the end of one chapter in our lives, we must now assume an even greater responsibility, to maintain our momentum and use our skills to the best of our ability. Our country, our region, and our world need us. I therefore urge everyone present today to take full advantage of this unique opportunity and contribute to the enhancement of our region as we continue to strive toward creating a more humane, innovative and dynamic Caribbean community.

My fellow graduates, don’t be afraid to think big and dream the impossible dream. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself to be greater than you think you can be. And don’t be afraid to go out there hoping to change the world. Enjoy the adventures that lie before you, and take full advantage of the limitless possibilities that exist in our world. As I conclude, I urge you to pursue your greatest passions – be it chemistry, music, economics, woodworking or any other area. I leave you with the words of Howard Thurman: “don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.”