UWI Open Campus Dominica recognized 28 graduates at its annual ceremony on Wednesday night

UWI Open Campus Dominica recognized and awarded 28 graduates with degrees and certificates, at its annual ceremony on Thursday 14th April 2016, at the Fort Young Hotel in Roseau. The degrees awarded were Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA), MSc in Nursing, Masters in Adult & Continuing Education, Post Graduate Diploma is Education, Executive Diploma in Management (EDM), Bachelor of Science Nursing Post RN, Bachelor of Science Social Sciences, Bachelor of Education, Associate of Science and Certificate in Business Administration.
 
Kimone Joseph, Officer-In-Charge of UWI Open Campus Dominica, says this smaller ceremony is held in honor of those who cannot, for various reasons, attend the main graduation ceremony held in October each year. Joseph acknowledged that while the smaller ceremonies cannot replace the main one, they “allow some of our graduates to share in that special moment of accomplishment with those who have been instrumental on their academic journey”.
 
Pro Vice-Chancellor & Principal of the University of the West Indies Open Campus, Dr. Luz Longsworth told graduates the ceremony marks their entry into another phase. She praised their achievement, noting that studying through the Open Campus is not easy. She challenged the graduates to join the alumni association and open doors for others who come after them. She also recommended that they start a scholarship fund for students at the Dominica Open Campus.
 
Mrs Sherma Burgins, BEd Secondary Math Education (First Class Honours) was named the outstanding graduate. She told the graduates, “success is not an easy road, but it is one worth taking. In order to succeed we need to have the determination and tenacity of a weed”. She added, “We should talk to people who are smarter than us, listen to those more spiritual than us, ask questions of those more successful than us, and lend a hand to those less fortunate than us”. She added that it is OK to venture into the unknown, and trust God for guidance.
 
Feature speaker Kyra Paul, told the graduates one chapter of their academic life has been closed, and another one is beginning. She advised them to live balanced lives, and seek out new niches for themselves. There are currently over 300 Dominican students pursuing higher education from UWI online, with another 400 are taking short courses.