(ZIZ News) — The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus in St. Kitts held its Presentation Of Graduates ceremony on Saturday at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.
The programme began at 10 a.m with an academic procession made up of graduands, graduates of the University, members of the UWI Alumni Association (St. Kitts and Nevis chapter), members of the academic and senior administrative staff, members of senate, members of the University and campus councils, academic directors and deans.
The procession was followed by the arrival of the Governor General, His Excellency Sir S.W Tapley Seaton GCMG CVO QC JP.
Chancellor George A. Alleyne, during his message to the graduating class wished them well and encouraged them to remain supportive of their university.
“As a university, we are an academic society of Undergraduates, Bachelors, Masters and Doctors and we follow the academic tradition in the pursuit of knowledge and the encouragement of learning, purposes which are laid down in the preamble to the royal charter by which we have been granted the powers needful for the prosecution of our affairs. In pursuing these aims, our members advance from time to time to a higher standing in the academic community. It is fit and proper that as a body, we should celebrate their achievemnts. It is marked by the granting of a degree, diploma or license and certificate, and we rejoice with you our graduates”, the Chancellor said.
Chancellor Alleyne also thanked the families of the graduating class 2016 for being supportive of their goals.
“We thank your relatives and loved ones for the help they provided, often at great personal cost. As by their support they’re also supporting the institution and demonstrating their faith in the power of education to make a better life for Caribbean citizens. I hope that you, yourselves are pleased with the investment you have made in these young people”, he added, while addressing the families, friends and loved ones present.
Honorary Doctor of Science, Dr. Sir Prince Ramsey delivered the official graduating address.
Recognition was also given to the class valedictorian, Miss Rone Alexis out of St. Lucia, who graduated with First Class Honours, earning a Bachelor Degree in Education, Early Childhood Development and Family Studies.
The Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College Choral Ensemble presented the musical presentation.
The graduands hailed from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Turks and Cacos and Trinidad and Tobago.
Overall a total of 698 students (593 undergraduates and 105 postgraduates) graduated with fifteen students from St. Kitts and Nevis included.