COVID-19 forces campus to re-imagine graduation ceremony

More than 3,900 students from the Class of 2020 will be conferred with degrees, diplomas and certificates by The University of the West Indies when the Mona campus hosts its first-ever blended graduation ceremonies.

The blend of virtual and face-to-face ceremonies will be a combination of live, virtual, and pre-recorded elements. The production will be broadcasted on UWI TV and social media.

In light of the global pandemic, The UWI Mona said it has opted for the virtual production of more than 90 per cent of the ceremony; to include a virtual address by the university’s chancellor, Robert Bermudez.

Speaking to the new format, Campus Registrar Dr. Donovan Stanberry said: “This year we have re-imagined graduation in light of the global pandemic. We want our students to be safe, we want our guests to be safe and we want to preserve the sanctity of graduation as we know it means so much to so many students and their families.”

The university said it would accommodate a handful of guests while observing all social distancing protocols. While more than 3,900 students will be graduating, the valedictorians will be the only student representatives on-site.

The Mona campus will be hosting three ceremonies, over two days. On January 14, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., students from the Faculties of Medical Sciences, Law, and Sport will be formally announced as graduates of The UWI. The University will also be conferring the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) on Professor E. Albert Reece and Sir Rodney Williams during ceremony. The valedictorian who will be addressing this ceremony will be Dr. Shemara Rhoden.

On the afternoon of January 14, 2021, at 4:00 p.m., students from the faculties of humanities and education, engineering, science and technology and The Institute of Gender and Development Studies will be officially announced as graduates. The university will also confer the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) on Hilary Grace Sherlock at this ceremony. The valedictorian who will address the ceremony will be Demion McTair.

On January 15 at 10 a.m., students from the Faculty of Social Sciences will be announced as graduates of The UWI and the university will be conferring the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) on Robert E. Levy and Glen Christian. The valedictorian addressing this ceremony will be Travis Rowe.

The UWI honorary degree is conferred on persons who have distinguished themselves by their substantial contribution to the development of the region and or the advancement of the university. Individuals upon whom such a high honour has been bestowed are not referred to as ‘doctor’, but are entitled to use the abbreviated honorary degree behind his or her name.

Participation of families and the ublic

The families and friends of the Class of 2020, as well as the general public, are invited to view the ceremony on UWITv Global at www.uwitv.org, Flow EVO channel 130 (Jamaica) or social media via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj0-Dty1YN8.

“We are fully aware that virtual graduation is nothing like the face-to-face experience, however, this is an important event in a student’s life. For many students, they are the first in their household to attend university and we wish to honour them even under these difficult circumstances,” Stanberry said.