British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who owes his fortune to the Virgin business conglomerate, will join three outstanding Jamaicans tapped to receive honorary doctoral degrees from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) at its commencement ceremony. 

UCC’s 2024 commencement ceremony, slated for July 28 at the National Arena in St Andrew, will also honour Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (honorary doctorate in hospitality and tourism management award), Sandals Resorts hotelier Adam Stewart (honorary doctorate in business administration award) and Dr Patricia Smith (honorary doctorate in behavioural sciences award).

Sir Richard is the founder and head of Virgin Group Limited. He launched Virgin Records in the early 1970s and eventually established the multinational Virgin Group which covers the music, journalism and non-fiction, business and space exploration industries.

He is also instrumental in several purpose-driven organizations through Virgin Unite (the non-profit arm of the Virgin Group). In 2007, he was honoured with the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA).

Branson, in commenting on the honour said, “I feel elated to be considered for this honorary doctorate in business and entrepreneurship. The main part of UCC’s mission is to prepare students to become innovative, and exceptional business and community leaders, with integrity and social responsibility. I am pleased with their approach, and align myself with this mission”.

University president Professor Colin Gyles said, “The UCC selected individuals who have excelled in their chosen fields over decades. These awardees not only created change and are driven innovators in their respective fields, but they represent the core values of our university”.

The UCC, under the theme ‘It’s a New Beginning…Arise and Take Your Place’, will see its largest commencement ceremony to date, facilitating approximately 1,000 graduands and over 6,500 guests at the National Arena, with thousands more joining the occasion online globally.

Gyles added, “This is a testament to the hard work and persistence of our recruitment team; the passion and professionalism of our lecturers, and the tenacity of our students. We had a record of 774 students in last year’s commencement so this year, it is in fact, a success for us”.

The 2024 commencement address will be presented by the honoree Edmund Bartlett.

Bartlett, a two-time published author, has served as tourism minister for approximately 13 out of the last 17 years and has been transformational and innovative in his approach to Jamaica’s tourism industry—positioning the island as one of the leading visitor destinations in the Caribbean.

Also within the tourism industry is Adam Stewart, as executive chairman of the world-renowned Sandals Resorts International, which consists of 24 properties in eight countries. Stewart, who succeeded fellow UCC honorary doctorate recipient Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, is also the executive chairman of the ATL Group which comprises the Jamaica Observer, and Appliance Traders Limited.

Dr. Patricia Smith founded Sweet P Home Care Inc, a New York-based home health care business in 1999. She is a multi-millionaire; stemming from her years of success as a businesswoman in the field of health care and nursing, she published her biography ‘I Persist‘ in 2022.