St Augustine students and staff share their goals and perspectives for the new academic year
On September 2, 2004, classes began for the new academic year at UWI St Augustine. The campus, quiet during summer break, is now alive with activity. Returning students are eager to continue their studies. Newcomers feel excited to start their journey. Students fill the halls, lecture rooms, and cafeteria. They all have dreams and plans for the year ahead. Everyone you meet on campus – student, lecturer, or staff – has their own story.
For many students, the new academic year is about more than classes, coursework, and exams.
They will make friends and have experiences that will stay with them long after graduation. Some want the highest GPA they can achieve. Others, especially international students, seek knowledge of new cultures. Some students want to make a difference, advocating for minorities and others in need.
The staff of UWI St Augustine, many of whom have been part of the campus community for years, are focussed on serving students. They want to strengthen relationships with the student body. They want students to know they are approachable and ready to support them.
UWI TODAY is pleased to share the perspectives of some members of the campus community on their hopes and plans for Academic Year 2024-2025.
STUDENT PHOTOS: ANEEL KARIM
“I want to finish. And finish strong. I want to really enjoy and appreciate the moments I’m in right now,” says Danielle Cato. Danielle, 21, is a third-year student doing the International Relations major with a minor in Linguistics. She is wrapping up her internship at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, where she worked in the Engagement and Behavioural Communications Department. This year, she hopes to pass all her courses and find a good topic for her final-year linguistics project. But beyond academics, she also aims to form lasting friendships. She has a strategy: start conversations with people you might otherwise overlook.
For Danielle, building connections is vital. She says, “Building meaningful relationships and lifelong friendships speaks to who you are. It means you can maintain them. You can call your friends when you need them, and they can call you when they need you.”
You’ll find Danielle at many campus activities, savouring her university experience.
“I want to go back to having a high GPA... basically, lock in, focus,” says Nicholas Leiba.
Nicholas achieves grade point averages above 3.6, but his goal for the 2024-2025 academic year is to hit a 4.0. His strategy? Reducing stress. Nicholas is a 22-year-old, third-year Banking and Finance student. He is passionate about photography, philosophy, and fitness. This academic year, he plans to go on more hikes with friends and with The UWI’s HikerSpirit Tours. His love for photography takes him on adventures across Trinidad and Tobago. Many of Nicholas’s goals this year are personal. He’s currently reading A Contemporary Introduction to Ethics by Harry J Gensler. Once finished, he plans to read The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel.
"I’d love to get good grades without losing my sanity or sleep, learn something new that changes my perspective, have really good friends, restart dancing, and become proficient in sign language," says Zuri Boucaud. Zuri is a 19-year-old first-year Computer Science student. She is eager to explore everything university life has to offer. She strives for a GPA of 3.6 or higher and wants to make friends, join the dance club, and learn tennis. Zuri stresses her desire to be someone others feel safe with.
Zuri is deaf and has cochlear implants. She's worried about the lack of resources for the deaf community in Trinidad and Tobago. The country, she said, has only two audiologists, so she plans to take sign language classes at UWI’s Centre for Language Learning (CLL). She will also pursue a minor in Speech-Language Pathology. Her long-term goal is to make medical resources more accessible for the deaf community.
"I want our shuttle service to be the best in the Caribbean and beyond. We’re striving for excellence," says Mr Dave Samsundar. Mr Samsundar is the Transport Coordinator at UWI's Estate Police. He has one goal: to serve students with empathy and professionalism. He believes The UWI is nurturing future Caribbean leaders, so he works hard to support staff and students. As Transport Coordinator, his activities also include improving the facilities for his staff, such as a better break area for shuttle drivers. He admits that there are some challenges, such as the traffic and staff shortages that cause delays, but he is optimistic about overcoming them with his team.
“You want your student to thrive, and to achieve that you have to create a supportive, compassionate environment for students and staff,” says Ms Aduke Williams. Aduke is a Student Services Assistant at the Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD). This year, she aims to strengthen connections across the campus by creating meaningful bridges between staff and students. She aspires to develop a “Campus Compassion Crew”, a programme geared towards supporting the campus population through challenging or unfortunate incidents.
Aduke has warm memories of the "Love Walk", an event to show love and unity and bring the campus closer together. She hopes to revive that spirit. She also recalls Entrepreneurship Day which gave staff the opportunity to show their talents, and would like to see more staff-centred events, as she believes that a motivated staff boosts students' experiences. This year, she also looks forward to celebrating her good friend, Tricia, at her graduation.
“I hope to see more of Trinidad, so I’m looking forward to any opportunity to explore,” says Donovan Hepburn. Donovan is 25 years old and a third-year Biology student from the Bahamas. He aims to excel in his studies while soaking up all the experiences Trinidad has to offer. Although he’s a Biology major, he has a passion for the arts. This semester, Donovan is taking an elective: Creative Writing: Poetry. He’s also been learning the harp since his first year, hoping to improve his skills. Last year, Donovan went to many campus cultural events, including the Department of Creative and Festival Arts’ Old Yard for Carnival, and intercultural events at Sir Arthur Lewis Hall. This year, he plans to continue engaging in campus life.
"Building relationships is a must," says Sergeant Natalie Millis-Sue. Sergeant Millis-Sue is the head of the Command Centre at the Learning Resource Centre. She manages campus security surveillance. Her top priority is safety during the increased campus activities. She recounts several policies and steps taken by Campus Security to protect everyone on campus, like enforcing the use of vehicle permits, student IDs, and the “no thoroughfare" policy. Sgt Millis-Sue wants to raise awareness about the services offered by UWI's Estate Police. One of these is the Campus Security Escort Service, which provides accompaniment to staff and students around the campus estate, especially after hours. She believes that strong relationships are key to a safe campus. She aims to build a rapport with the students to help them become more comfortable with reporting incidents to Campus Security.
