Dary DINART et Richard PRADEL
Beaming smiles adorned the faces of five hundred and fifty one (551) graduands on Sunday May 19, 2013, as they marched across the stage to receive their diplomas from the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC).
Parents, friends, supporters and well-wishers, along with Administration, Faculty and Staff, convened at the UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago) O’Meara Campus for the two Commencement Ceremonies (9:00am and 2:30 pm) held on that joyous Sunday.
Feature Speaker of the morning’s ceremony, Dr. Slimen Saliba wittily encouraged graduands to think about their future story and to keep pressing forward. The ceremony featured students from the School of Education and Human Sciences, the School of Science and Technology, and the School of Humanities. During this ceremony, Bachelors and Graduate degrees and diplomas were conferred on the graduands.
The evening’s ceremony featured students from the School of Social Sciences, the School of Theology and Religion, and the School of Business. The Feature Speaker for that ceremony was Dr. the Honorable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minster of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He encouraged the graduands to be wise and humble leaders, adopting the distinguished character of the Hebrew/Babylonian hero, prophet and prominent figure, Daniel. Like Daniel, they should stand strong in the face of opposition.
Dr. Clinton Valley, President of USC, highlighted some interesting facts of the 2013 graduating class: The oldest graduand, Mr. Dennis Nimblett was 62 years old and he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Two married couples were graduating with the same degree: Selwyn and Albertha Hercules (BS Family and Consumer Sciences) and Clive Agustin (Magna Cum Laude) and Tiffany Fontenelle-Audgustin (Suma Cum Laude). There were also other members of the same families graduating. Of the 551 graduands, nine of them were members of faculty and staff. Graduands were from 18 from countries, with countries as far as Nigeria and the United Kingdom being represented.
Of notable mention was the graduation of Mr. Francis John, affectionately known around campus and beyond as Power Mike. Mr. John began studies at Caribbean Union College (now the University of the Southern Caribbean) during the 1980s and through sheer persistence and determination, graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion. He was given a standing ovation and a thunderous round of applause erupted as he accepted his Diploma
