In a landmark celebration, the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) held its 39th graduation ceremony, honoring graduates from two separate sessions while unveiling plans for the college’s evolution into a university.
The milestone event highlighted both academic achievement and the institution’s forward-looking vision.
Dr. Cletus Springer, Chair of the SALCC Board, shared exciting updates on the college’s university trajectory.
“A draft bill has been cleared for submission to the Minister of Education. Moreover, we have been steadily increasing the number of faculty and staff with higher degrees, which as you may know is a requirement for university status,” he said.
Springer added that the Board has implemented policies to empower managers with clarity and certainty in decision-making. “The Board has also approved several policies to give managers the clarity and the certainty they need to make sound decisions,” he noted.
The ceremonies also celebrated the accomplishments of dual valedictorians, whose personal journeys inspired their peers. Shyne Savory, the morning session valedictorian, reflected on his time at SALCC.
“Two years after secondary school and having a break, I chose to come to Sir Arthur. So I was really able to decide what intention I wanted to set for my time at Sir Arthur, what exactly it is that I wanted to do. During this time, I’ve done a lot of speeches, I’ve done a lot of debates, I’ve been involved with the Students Council, and it’s been my aspiration to be as involved with the college as I possibly can. I don’t think that there was a time while I was at Sir Arthur that I had a break from any sort of competition or engagement or anything like that,” he said.
Afternoon session valedictorian Kelly Gonzague offered words of perseverance to her fellow graduates.
“Before I started school, I had a few hurdles, and my answer to that question would be just do it. To start somewhere and continue. Don’t matter the hurdles, don’t matter the doors that are closed, eventually it will all work out. So that is my message,” she told the audience.
The 39th graduation marked a pivotal moment for SALCC, celebrating both the dedication of its graduates and the institution’s significant steps toward university status.