Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Barbados. April 16, 2018 - The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, held its first virtual UWI Student Today Alumni Tomorrow (UWI STAT) induction ceremony. At this historic ceremony thirteen (13) students currently enrolled in Open Campus undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from nine (9) countries across the region were inducted as UWI STAT Ambassadors.
The UWI STAT Ambassadors are the Vice-Chancellor’s Student Representatives on all four UWI Campuses. This programme provides students with opportunities to integrate with fellow Caribbean and international students. It encourages the development of leadership skills and provides them with varied experiences to enhance their education and develop their leadership skills through involvement in campus, community and alumni activities.
Director of Alumni Relations, Mrs. Celia Davidson Francis, who has responsibility for the UWI STAT Ambassador Corps in her welcome remarks at the ceremony told the Ambassadors that she was “counting on them to help develop a brighter and better Caribbean and world while collectively embracing the spirit of the pelican to help promote the development of caring young leaders. She added that she was “confident that they would enrich the lives of their fellow students and enhance their Open Campus Sites and The UWI.”
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus, Dr. Luz Longsworth, in her remarks said, she was “delighted that the Open Campus was integrating into this prestigious group” and she implored the inductees to take the term Ambassador seriously as their voices to advocate on behalf of their university among prospective students and alumni were powerful in promoting the agenda of The UWI. She challenged the Ambassadors to take on the mandate of promoting Disaster Mitigation and Risk Management in the Caribbean region as this is a great concern for the Open Campus as so many of the countries served by The UWI Open Campus are so vulnerable to disaster.
Bringing the special address at the induction ceremony on behalf of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Professor Densil Williams, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Planning at The UWI stated, “2018 represents the 12th year of the UWISTAT Ambassador Corp and the ceremony has presented the opportunity to acknowledge the success of the corps and to celebrate the achievements and traditions that have been established.”
He added that “the University’s rich potential resides in its students and alumni who are its greatest products and the UWI STAT is unique as it forms a permanent bond between student and alumni life. Further, this group serves as a model that shows that there should be a lifelong relationship with ones alma mater.” As the students commit lifelong service to The UWI, Professor Williams indicated that he looked forward to the Open Campus UWI STAT Corps promoting Caribbean pride and regional integration.
He congratulated The UWI Open Campus UWI STAT Ambassadors and indicated that as important sons and daughters of the Pelican the University is sure that they will achieve great things for The UWI and the Open Campus.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Williams received and inducted the Ambassadors designate on behalf of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles as members of the UWISTAT Ambassador Corps. The new Open Campus UWISTAT Ambassadors are:
- Kemoloy Murphy Anguilla
- Nickisha Jankie Antigua and Barbuda
- Wanda Reid-Beckles Barbados
- Terol Jackasal Grenada
- Rayon Walters Mandeville, Jamaica
- Howard Brown May Pen, Jamaica
- Juara Willet Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Nickson Barry Saint Lucia
- Renitta Peters-Morris Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
- Leandra Des Vignes Tobago
- Shazahra Khan San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago
- Celine Noray Mayaro, Trinidad & Tobago
- Dwayne Simon Postgraduate Chapter
Guild President of The UWI Open Campus, Mr. Howard Brown, speaking on behalf of the Ambassadors noted that, as UWI STAT Ambassadors they were “willing, ready and committed to walk in this journey to ensure that the furtherance of the University is held in high regard.”
Open Campus Officer for Alumni Relations, Mrs. Sandra Griffith-Carrington in congratulating The UWI Ambassadors reminded them “you are all fully cognizant of your role in The UWI Strategic Plan of access, alignment and agility”. She added “I am confident that you will continue to execute your role as Ambassadors professionally while upholding the excellent standard of the university.” She further stated “may you endeavour to be proud Ambassadors as true representatives of the light rising from the west, with UWI first in our hearts and always first in our region.”
The UWI Open Campus congratulates our UWI STAT Ambassadors and wishes them success in this very important role of service and leadership and the creation of loyalty and Pelican Pride among students and alumni.
About The UWI STAT Corps
The UWI STAT Ambassador Corps is a student organization with the mandate to provide service, leadership and support interests and traditions of The UWI, students and alumni through volunteerism, responsible citizenship and the promotion of Caribbean pride, culture and values.
About The UWI
Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. The UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. Website: 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.)
