Three exemplary Jamaicans, double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, respected academic Professor Halden Morris and renowned MVP coach Stephen Francis were honoured by the University of Technology (UTech) during its 2021 graduation ceremony on Sunday (December 12). 

All three were bestowed Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa (Hon. LLD) conferred by acting UTech president Professor Colin Gyles.

The honorary graduates, Thompson-Herah included, expressed sincere gratitude to UTech Jamaica for the honour and recognition of their respective achievements. 

“I thank my Utech family for awarding me with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws. Thank you my fans and sponsors for always helping me to keep the flame to my fire. Nuff love and bless up,” Thompson-Herah wrote in a beaming Twitter post on Wednesday. 

The accolades keep coming for Thompson-Herah, who started December being crowned the World Athletics ‘Female Athlete of the Year’. 

Just last week, the 27-year-old Manchester native was issued a diplomatic passport by Prime Minister Andrew Holness during a courtesy call at Jamaica House. 

The undisputed fastest woman alive sets her sights on claiming BBC Sports Personality of the Year, where she goes up against Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady, Rachael Blackmore, Max Verstappen and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. 

At Sunday’s event, over 1,000 graduates were presented with their respective academic awards after successfully qualifying to receive terminal, master’s and undergraduate degrees, associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in a variety of disciplines.

UTech Jamaica Pro-Chancellor Richard Powell, in his welcome, offered hearty congratulations to the graduating class of 2021, noting that their achievements “acknowledges and celebrates the culmination of all your years of learning, the friendships and lifelong connections made along the way, and the personal growth and development that you have gained.”

For his part, Professor Gyles also lauded graduates for their hard work and years of investment resulting in their academic achievements. 

He invited graduates to “celebrate and savour your achievements, as you move forward to reap the rewards.”

“I am confident that your UTech, Jamaica academic certification has prepared you well to be positive agents of change and has equipped you well to contribute to rebuilding and strengthening of economies anywhere in the world your chosen careers and continuing journey take you,” Gyles added.

The acting UTech president urged the fresh graduating cohort to uphold the tradition of excellence laid out at the university, and to be “ambassadors of good values and attitudes that will preserve and develop our society.”

Related content:

• Elaine Thompson-Herah wins ‘Female Athlete of the Year’ award
• Jamaican Government grants Elaine Thompson-Herah diplomatic passport
• Elaine Thompson-Herah nominated for BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year