SVGCC Graduates urged to use their education to unlock potential

Following their graduation ceremony on Tuesday, 742 students from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) have gone forth to use their education to unlock their potential and make their dreams a reality.

Family, friends and well-wishers entered the Victoria Park{{more}} in large numbers and endured the sweltering heat to witness their loved ones from the five college divisions, crossing the stage to receive their diplomas.

In the feature address, CARICOM youth ambassador and graduate teacher, Tamira Browne deemed the graduates as rightfully being able to join the world of work.

Addressing the theme, “Education unlocks potential; dreams become a reality,” Browne told the sea of blue-capped graduands that the best is yet to come and their graduation from the community college is “the tip of the iceberg”, in realizing their dreams.

Browne encouraged the graduates to apply their education to everyday life, to have a positive outlook on situations and to keep in mind that the persons around them have the potential to change their lives, in a good or bad way.

“It makes absolutely not an ounce of sense to pack the contents of your courses and books onto the cobwebbed reserves of your brain. Knowledge is not simply just power, but with our full potential, we must ensure that knowledge is used to expand our horizons. Use your knowledge to help you modify theories and develop new areas of research, challenge the status quo and realize your dreams,” the youth ambassador said.

Additionally, Browne noted that graduates will soon enter the world of work and she urged persons to be aware of how they portray themselves to the public, especially through social media.

“In today’s world we must be ever cognizant that we live in an era of screen shots and compromised social media accounts. There are some things that neither education nor experience would teach us and sometimes it may be too late for the delete button to help you. Would you be pleased if your posts were exposed for all and sundry; particularly your lecturers or boss? The education that we have received must be evident in marketing ourselves,” she warned.

Director (Ag) of SVGCC, Laura Browne highlighted that the college is determined to provide quality education for all.

The institution therefore sought out and received accreditation status from the National Accreditation Board, in the last school year, Browne said.

“The recent economic meltdown and globalization are but two of the factors that have caused the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College to take a serious look at programmes offered to students in the name of education,” she said.

“It was during the last academic year that the college received the news that as a result of its submission to the National Accreditation Board, the college was recognized as a duly registered institution along with four other providers of tertiary education.”

The director highlighted that in its move to full accreditation, the college is anticipating a visit from the NAB in the coming months.

“The expressed government policy which states that there must be one graduate in each household by 2020 has caused us to rethink existing programmes, implement new programmes and continue in the process of monitoring and evaluation in these unpredictable and swiftly changing times,” Browne said.

This batch of graduates included 127 fulltime and 49 part-time students from a variety of Associate Degree programmes, which were introduced at SVGCC in August 2012.

Jolene Massiah received the divisional award for excellence in the Division of Teacher Education and was tasked with delivering the valedictory speech at this year’s graduation ceremony.

The award for excellence in the Division of Nursing Education was presented to Tafari Jeffery while Julianna Ashton received the award for excellence in the Division of Technical and Vocational Education and Shanka Edwards received the divisional award for excellence in the Division of Arts, Sciences and General Studies.(BK)