UWI revives alumni association
While many people who graduate from university leave campus life behind in favour of new pursuits, others become active members of their alumni associations and help welcome new students to their alma mater. The new director of alumni relations for the University of the West Indies is in Belize this week to help our local alumni chapter get organised and active.
Celia Davidson Francis, Dir., Alumni Relations, UWI
“The Belizean element is very enthusiastic. The challenge is to get the word out to everyone that the alumni is being revitalised here in Belize, and to let the opportunities for networking with other alumni throughout the Caribbean region. The Institutional Advancement Division of which alumni relations is a part is a new division that has been started by the new Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Nigel Harris, and he is very determined that the alumni in general regard UWI as their personal and professional enrichment partner for life. There are many opportunities that they can that they can contribute once they are professionals and continue and again also contribute to new generations of students.”
News Five also spoke with Dr. Lisa Johnson, President of the Belize Branch of UWI’s alumni association this afternoon.
Dr. Lisa Johnson, Pres. Belize UWI Alumni Assn.
“Well starting with last year when a new resident tutor was appointed in Belize, new resident tutor for the University of the West Indies that is, she got together the university’s alumni currently living in the country and encouraged and fostered the formation of the Belize chapter. That was officially done at our first annual general meeting, which was held in January of this year, and at that time we had about fifty-three charter signing members. Since then we’ve been in the process of laying the foundation for the organisation, which we hope that this foundation will lead to a permanent situation. And now with our last meeting which we held last week Friday, we are now planning certain activities for members to become involved in to help the community, to get University of the West Indies out there known throughout the country to those students who may be interested in attending, for those students who don’t know about the University of the West Indies and what it offers.”
“It had been made quite clear by the Chancellor Sir George Allene and by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Harris, that the University of the West Indies has no intention of competing with national institutions. We consider ourselves available resources for national institutions that are developing and expanding and we are ready, willing and able to help these institutions, no matter which country we are speaking about Belize, The Bahamas, Barbados, or even in Jamaica where there are one or two institutions that are currently starting up. And the University of the West Indies has established partnerships with them and we hope that that will be the same here in Belize.”
If you are a former UWI student, you are invited to a meeting at the UWI Extension office on Wednesday at six p.m. to meet Celia Davidson Francis and discuss upcoming activities.
