The UWI Open Campus Congratulates Dr Soomer on receiving Saint Lucia’s Highest Independence Honour
Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal. March, 01, 2021 - The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open Campus expresses warm congratulations to its Campus Council Chair Dr June Soomer on her recent award of the Saint Lucia Cross, the country’s highest national award.
Dr Soomer was among three persons awarded the prestigious honour on Monday, February 22, 2021, Saint Lucia’s 41st Anniversary of Independence. Dr Soomer received the award for “distinguished service in Education, Diplomacy, Regionalism and Development Specialty,” the statement from the Governor General’s Office stated.
“The bestowing of Saint Lucia’s highest honour is a significant statement about Dr Soomer’s contribution to Saint Lucia and the region, and we at the Open Campus certainly share in this view of the Chair as a very astute, intelligent and confident regionalist. The UWI Open Campus is therefore thrilled to learn of the elevation of our Campus Council Chair and wishes her continued success.”
In 2018 Dr Soomer was appointed Chair of the Open Campus Council. This was the first time a female was appointed to serve in this capacity. In that same year, she also received The University of the West Indies Alumni Association Pelican Award for excellence in diplomacy, public service and the promotion of regionalism.
Dr June Soomer received her PhD in History from The University of The West Indies in 1994. She was the first female to graduate with a doctorate in History from the Cave Hill Campus.
She served as Saint Lucia’s Ambassador to OECS and CARICOM with responsibility for Diaspora Affairs. A position she has held from 2008-2016.
Most recently Dr Soomer was Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States, a position she vacated in 2020.
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Dr June Soomer, Chair, The UWI Open Campus Council
About The UWI
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with approximately 45,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
Ranked among the top universities in the world, by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. In 2020, it earned ‘Triple 1st’ rankings—topping the Caribbean; and in the top in the tables for Latin America and the Caribbean, and global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the top universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
For more, visit www.uwi.edu.
(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
