-UG Tain Campus graduates told
Valedictorian Muniram Purnawasi told graduates at the 11th convocation of the University of Guyana’s Berbice Campus held two Saturdays ago that success is born of persistence and the fact that they have made it so far is an indication of their ability to overcome and excel.
“It’s not that I’m so smarter than the world, it’s just that I spent longer time on problem,” Purnawasi said, quoting famous physicist Albert Einstein to the 2012 class of 231 graduates. In sharing his journey at the university, Purnawasi said there had been many struggles and disappointments. “How the Math group came together as a class is an interesting story. It started several years ago. A few of my colleagues were eager to do the Degree in Education-Mathematics Programme, a course that was never offered at this Campus. We were advised to get a group of ten interested persons and perhaps the university will offer the course for the first time,” he said.
The “search for interested and trained Mathematics teachers began…but it took us almost half a decade to reach the number ten.” Then the first part of the course was offered in 2008 as promised at Berbice Campus but at the end of two years, the shortage of qualified Math lecturers threatened the Degree Pro-gramme, he said. “However, after several petitions to the Director and the Coordinator, the administration finally decided to offer the Degree Programme at Berbice Campus.”
Purnawasi earned a Bachelor of Education Degree in Mathematics. He said that he was proud to share his success with his “dear wife” Deowattie Pertab, who graduated with a distinction in the same programme, and he expressed his gratitude to all the lecturers, Campus Director Professor Daizal Samad, relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, cricket legend Clive Lloyd, in the commencement address to the graduates, charged them to set goals and aim to become the leaders of tomorrow. He listed nine steps to leadership and pointed out that leadership never ends and as such a leader must have a set of core values. Lloyd noted that humility is also a virtue that leaders should aspire to, no matter the level of their success.
He then urged the graduates to emulate the examples of Chairman of Microsoft Corporation and philanthropist Bill Gates, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the late Steve Jobs, co-founder, CEO and chairman of Apple Inc, noting that all of them shared a common trait of persistence. “Persistence flies to the heart of success…never give up,” Lloyd said. He also assured graduates that if they ever feel the need to change course that they should have no fear in doing so, noting that Steve Jobs “wandered many times before finding his calling.”
The roll call of 2012 graduates included Shinella Avis Gamble who was named the Second Best Graduating Student and who received the Scotiabank Award. Desmond J Williams, Kursattie Moira Thomas, Seema Singh, Tejwattie Singh, Michelle Amsterdam, Dascia Johnson, Jennifer Freso, Rehanna Sammy, Pamela Mootoo, Sarah Khemraj, Chandradeo Ghansham, Treshan Budhram, Maorai Sawh, Yulette Moretta Park, Azad Hoosein, Pulmattie Rabinchand and Dave Sarran also received prizes and awards.
Campus Director Samad did not attend the convocation and a director’s report was not presented. This newspaper understands that his contract expired on October 31.
