the university of the west indies alumni association ...uwiaafl.org/april 21 2019 uwi...
TRANSCRIPT
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Editors
Sandra Schrouder, PhD Rupert Rhodd, PhD
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Carmen Nicholas, PhD President
Donat Grant Vice President
Justin Vincent Vice President
Diana Turnbull Public Relations
Miriam White Secretary
Rupert Rhodd, PhD Treasurer
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION (FLORIDA CHAPTER)
P.O. Box 970313,
Coconut Creek, Florida 33097
www.uwiaafl.org
UWI FLORIDA CHAPTER PRESENTS
2ND ANNUAL SOCA & REGGAE FETE
SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2019
7:00 PM – 1:00 AM
ST. BENEDICT’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH HALL
7801 NW 5TH STREET, PLANTATION, FLORIDA 33324
Party Flyer on Page 10
$40
ENTRY
MEAL
For more information, call (954) 732-3821.
You can also buy tickets on like at www.uwiaafl.org
Our Recent
April General
Meeting (More
pictures on
Page 7)
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MARGARET BARRETT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
The MARGARET BARRETT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP that was created to honor Margaret Barrett’s service and dedication to education, was awarded to the following student in March 2019.
Ms. Cedella McKie 3.8/4.0: GPA Faculty: Humanities & Education Course of Study: BA (Humanities and Marketing – Integrated Marketing Communications) Former Student of St. Mary High School: Deputy Head Girl & Prefect
The Scholarship will provide assistance in the form of US$1,000 to the student above who is a full-time student pursuing the above specified degree at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. In her acceptance letter, Ms. McKie, wrote that that she was extremely elated and wholeheartedly thankful to the chapter that will help to support her goals and educational pursuits. She notes, “the work of the Florida Chapter of the University of the West Indies Alumni Association is indeed noteworthy and life-changing”, because coming from a poor family in rural Jamaica, she was very worried about the means by which her family would be able to continue supporting her attending the University of the West Indies. Noting that to whom much is given much is expected, she pledged “to shine the light of kindness” that she has received onto the rest of the world, and to help ensure that young people are able to clearly see their worth, identify their potential and make the best of it. Congratulations Cedella! ================================================================================
THE CHAPTER USES
THIS MEDIUM TO SAY A
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
THE GUEST SPEAKER AT
OUR APRIL 6, 2019
MEETING, DR. DONNA
WALLACE, PATIENT
ADVOCATE
PHARMACIST.
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PELICANS SOARING HIGH AND CONTRIBUTING TO OUR WORLD ECONOMY.
Ms. Beverly M. Fray, RN, MSN, PHCNS-BC, and doctoral candidate in nursing at
FIU, was recently accepted as a Rising Star for the Sigma Theta Tau International
Honors Society’s (SITTI) 30th International Nursing Research Congress to be held
in Calgary, Canada in July 2019. This is her second acceptance, as in 2016 she
was accepted for the 28th Congress, and presented a poster in Cape Town, South
Africa.
Ms. Fray is a member of the Florida Chapter of the University of the West Indies Alumni Association,
and is a Nurse Observership Coordinator/Clinical-Nursing Orientation Coordinator with Jackson
Health System in Miami, Florida.
Ms. Sheri-Ann McLean completed her Bachelors in Psychology, with a minor in Criminology in 2011. She lived on Rex Nettleford Hall for the 3 years and has fond memories of her UWI days. She then came back in 2012 and obtained her Masters in Applied Psychology in 2016 - and keeping her “Rex connection”, was a Resident advisor on Rex Nettleford Hall. She is now a candidate for her PhD in Developmental Psychology at Capella University is pleased to share the following update on her professional journey with you – her fellow Pelicans.
Sheri-Ann McLean is also the program director at Devereux Advanced Behavior Health
Massachusetts and Rhode Island where she “has been cultivating a culture of trust and collaboration
among staff in the organization’s Short-term Assessment and Rapid Reintegration (STARR) program
in Paxton, Mass.” Ms. McLean tries “to create a sense of community in the workplace by:
• Sending employees weekly text messages with inspirational quotes
• Placing surprise gifts in employees’ mailboxes
• Organizing team building activities during staff meetings
• Holding raffles for gift cards during staff meetings
• Purchasing gift cards for employees’ birthdays
• Sending employees cards and monetary contributions in recognition of significant life events
• Purchasing small gifts for employees on holidays and during Direct Support Professionals
week (Minority Professional Network Inc, and UWI Alumni Relations
Professor Michael Taylor, UWI Climate expert, is one of four recipients of the 2019 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards (ANSA) for excellence. Caribbean Award. The Awards are made in four areas Arts & Letters, Science & Technology, Public & Civic Contributions and Entrepreneurship. The awards began as a biennial event in 2006, went annual between 2010 and 2015, and thereafter returned to a biennial cycle. So far, 35 laureates have been named in the four categories. The ANSA Awards is the only programme in the Caribbean that seeks out and rewards outstanding nominees in Arts & Letters, Public & Civic Contributions, Science &
Technology and Entrepreneurship. The prizes are worth TT $500,000 each, and each laureate received a medal and citation at the awards ceremony, which was held on March 30, 2019.
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Professor Taylor is not only an internationally acclaimed climate scientist, he is also the Dean of the
Faculty of Science and Technology at The UWI Mona. His work has been invaluable to practical and
research advancements in the region’s response to climate change and he also paid homage to the
team of scientists he works with, noting that they all had a “genuine conviction” that their science
could make a difference in the region. “In our case our motivation comes from the significant threat
that climate change poses to the Caribbean way of life. To have what you consider your daily passion
recognised in this public way is a pleasant surprise. It comes with a sense of gratitude,
encouragement to continue and the hope that young Caribbean scientists will be encouraged to also
make their contribution. (http://www.ansacaribbeanawards.com/)
UWI LEGACY PROGRAM
The Legacy Program is a way to make a bequest to UWI in your will, and to ensure you leave a legacy that will impact the next generation. Even if you are not ready to make a will, it is good for you to know about this program as an option available to you.
Your legacy can assist:
• Undergraduate scholarships • Postgraduate scholarships • The buildings and facilities of the UWI • Financial support for students in need • Endowed Chairs….. and more!
** You may designate/specify any of the above or give to the general UWI Regional Development Fund (UWIREF) fund which will assign the funds to the area(s) of greatest need across the four campuses.
I know that is “legal speak” to most of us – but we can give you more information at [email protected] or you can visit https://www.uwi.edu/alumnionline/uwi-legacy-programme
FACEBOOK & WEBSITE UPDATE
• Our Facebook page is fully operational thanks to Dr. Justin Peart. • Write to Justin at [email protected] to gain access to the page. • The president (Dr. Carmen Nicholas) will also be inviting alumni members to sign up on
Facebook after which you will be able to follow your UWI Florida Alumni Association on Facebook.
• Check the website (www.uwiaafl.org) to keep up with events and other related to UWI Florida.
Welcome new pelican, Annette Cardoza (Barry University)
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UPDATE FROM THE LAST CEC MEETING
The Central Executive Committee (CEC) is the overall governing body of the University of the West
indies Alumni association. The Institutional Advancement Division (IAD) is responsible for Alumni
Relations, that is, the engagement and involvement of alumni through strategic programming and
communications. Celia Davidson-Francis is the director of Alumni Relations.
Dr. Carmen Nicholas (Florida Chapter) is the Alumnus Representative on the CEC. At the recently convened 2019 CEC Meeting, the following IAD awards were announced:
Most Active Chapter UWIAA Florida
Young Alumni Involvement Champion
UWIAA Bahamas
Pelican Perks Champion UWIAA Barbados
Highest Local Global Giving Support
UWIAA St. Kitts and Nevis
Campus Alumni Officer – UWI STAT Support Award Carina Dyce - Mona
Roseanne Maxwell – Cave Hill
Chancellor’s Forum Recognition Award UWIAA St Lucia
Most New Scholarships Award
UWIAA Florida
Benefactor Legacy Award Dr C. Lloyd Stanford
UWIAA Ottawa
Kudos to the FLORIDA CHAPTER on its recognition as THE MOST ACTIVE CHAPTER AND THE
CHAPTER WITH THE MOST NEW SCHOLARSHIPS!
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SPECIAL APPEALS MEMBERSHIP
UWIAA Florida is hoping to double its membership this year and is asking all members to send names of UWI graduates in the area who are interested in joining the association to any of the following member of the executive. Here is their contact information:
Carmen Nicholas (President): [email protected] Justin Vincent (Vice President): [email protected]
Donat Grant (Vice President): [email protected] Diana Turnbull (Public Relations/Outreach): [email protected]
ANNUAL DUES
Annual dues are $30 per year by check or $32 per year by paypal. To send your annual dues by check, please send mail to UWI Alumni Association, P.O. Box 970313, Coconut Creek, Florida 33097. Make check payable to UWI Alumni Association. To use paypal,
click on this LINK.
PELICAN PERKS PARTNERS
Alumni Relation and UWI Alumni Online have partnered with businesses and individuals to offer products and services at a discount to UWI students and graduates who show their valid Student Identification Card or UWIAA membership card (Associate, Annual or Life). In addition, membership is FREE!!! Apart from signing up to receive these discounts, you can also help by finding partners (Businesses) Here are the benefits for the Pelican Partners:
• Free listing on our UWI Alumni Online Community;
• Periodic free exposure in our UWI Nexus monthly E-Update;
• Discounted ads in our UWI Connect alumni magazine;
• Pelicans who reside internationally will choose Perks first when they return and those who reside in the Caribbean can benefit from Perks available regionally or internationally - so potential market awareness/expansion will be assisted
• Promotion to over 200,000 students and alumni;
To learn more about Pelican Perks, click on this LINK.
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PICTURES FROM OUR RECENT GENERAL MEETING
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UPDATE ON OUR GARDEN PROJECT WITH NEW MIRAWOOD ACADEMY
Earlier this year UWIAA Florida started a gardening project with parents, children, and staff at New Mirawood Academy. UWIAA Florida acquired the seedlings and other materials needed to start the garden plots. Led by the president, the members of UWIAA Florida spent a good 4 hours with the children and staff putting seeds and seedlings in the ground. The three pictures on the left were taken at the start of the project. .
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A report from the school is given below. We are happy to report that the students have been enjoying visiting the garden to watch their plants grow. They have shown great interest in the tomato and bell pepper as they grow through the different stages. They have made real life connections as they posed questions about the plants and inquire about the length of time the plants will take to come to maturity. They also observed that some of the plants do not grow fruit(s) while others do and inquired about the reason (s). They also enjoy watering and pulling the weeds from the garden. This experience has really enlightened their interest and enthusiasm for the outdoors.
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