GRADUATION MARKED BY ACHIEVEMENT AND HISTORY
BROWN’S TOWN, St Ann; Dec. 17, 2024
More than 100 students recently graduated from Brown’s Town Community College, St Ann, with degrees and certificates in various disciplines.
These included more than 60 degree programmes, in Business Administration, Social Work, Architecture & Construction Technology, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality & Tourism Management.
There were 53 certificate course graduates (CAPE Arts and Natural Sciences, NVQ-J Allied Health, NVQ-J Commis Chef, and Professional Tractor Trailer Driving).
(BSc Social Work graduate Dominique Howard, left receives her award for being the Most Outstanding Council of Community College of Jamaica CCCJ student. The award is being presented by Dr Donna Powell Wilson, Executive Director of the CCCJ)
The annual graduation ceremony was held on November 21, 2024, at Holiday Haven Hotel, Runaway Bay.
The Principal, Claudeth Haughton said the college population had grown from 817 students last year to 900 in 2024.
Members of the Class of 2024 were reminded by Ms Haughton, that they were not just graduates but trailblazers, innovators, and future leaders. “You’ve not only earned your degrees; you’ve proven your mettle through one of the most transformative periods in educational history,” Ms Haughton said.
(Dr Maurice Smith delivering the keynote address)
Among the graduating class was the first cohort of students to complete the Bachelor of Science in Social Work. One of them, Dominique Howard received the highest Grade Point Average (GPA) amongst the programmes of the Council of Community Colleges Jamaica (CCCJ). Ms Howard obtained a 100% completion rate.
(Shaniece Burris)
The highest GPA was earned by Shaniece Burris, who graduated with an impressive GPA of 3.92, the College Administration stated. She earned a BSc degree with First Class Honors. SHANIECE BURRIS TOPS BTCC CLASS OF 2024
Commendations were given to the faculty, administrative, and ancillary staff who have worked tirelessly to shape and support the achievements of the graduating class.
Fifteen (15) of those persons were awarded for their years of dedicated service. The longest-serving awardee this year, Verona McIntyre-Maxwell has served the college for 30 years.
The guest speaker was Dr Maurice Smith.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Born to Fly: Unveiling Your True Potential’, the University of the West Indies Registrar/Chief Administrative Officer, offered a message of empowerment and personal growth that resonated deeply with the graduating students.
Drawing a parallel between the principles of flight and personal development, Dr Smith emphasized that each graduate, like an aircraft, possesses the potential to soar to great heights. “You are just as gifted as others,” Dr. Smith affirmed. “But to reach your full potential, you must understand the forces that drive you, much like a plane’s journey through the skies.”
In continuing, the UWI Registrar, still using the airplane analogy outlined four key lessons, that each graduate could apply to life: thrust, weight, drag, and lift.
He said: “Planes fly because of the wings that carry them. You too need something bigger than yourself – whether it’s your faith, your values, or your passion – to lift you when times get tough,” Dr Smith said.
He said: “As you leave this place today, remember you were born to fly. The sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning of what you can achieve.”
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