CHANCELLOR’S week at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus is set to be one of the highlights of the university’s year-long celebration of its “70 years of service, 70 years of leadership.”
The week of activities will be hosted by Chancellor Robert Bermudez from July 23-29. Alumni, students, staff and guests from across the Caribbean and the globe are expected to attend.
This “homecoming” offers a diverse programme of free and paid events. Activities include academic gatherings, an awards function, parties and other entertainment, catering to the interests of the various age groups.
Noting that the celebration specially reaches out to the vast alumni network inviting them to reconnect, share success stories and re-engage with the university, Bermudez said in a media release, “The UWI’s success has been each one of the graduates who has left our campuses to form the fabric of the West Indian society, in every field of endeavour. Chancellor’s Week is intended to bring back thousands of graduates to jointly celebrate their success and our success.”
The week opens on July 23 with a welcome gala reception hosted by Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness at Jamaica House.
On July 24, Nostalgic Conversations, an interactive public forum hosted at The UWI’s regional headquarters, will feature distinguished alumni reflecting on the history, contributions and achievements of The UWI, and their shared experiences.
On July 25, at the Mona Visitors Lodge and Conference Centre, seven alumni selected by their peers and representing each decade from 1948 to the present, will be honoured at the 70th Anniversary Pelican Awards.
The four campuses’ guilds of students will stage Pelican Projections: A University for the Future – UWI then, UWI now, UWI to come, on July 26. This forum at the Faculty of Law Lecture Theatre promises to be a thought-provoking and animated panel discussion targeting students and the public, and led by young leaders from The UWI, government and further afield.
The One UWI Festival and T-20 Cricket Match scheduled for July 27 will bring together past and current Pelicans from the various campuses. This free event will feature pavilions showcasing the cuisine and culture of all the UWI campuses, competitions, entertainment and a cricket match between a student team and a Chancellor’s XI at the Mona Bowl.
Chancellor’s Week ends with a weekend-long celebration of the music, colour and culture of the Caribbean. An all-inclusive Pelican, all-white breakfast party rolls out the festivities on July 28, at the Oriental Gardens on Mona campus. This will precede The UWI B4 Independence Party, on campus that evening, targeting party fans, and especially current and incoming students.
The Chancellor’s Jazz Farewell on July 29 will close off activities. Arturo Tappin will headline some of the region’s most accomplished performers, under the stars at Oriental Gardens.
The UWI is inviting corporate entities to partner with it and support the effort. Proceeds will go to The UWI Regional Endowment Fund (UWIREF) to support undergraduate and graduate students, research and other developmental projects based on merit and financial need. Officially launched in July 2008 as part of the University’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the UWIREF has since presented over 180 scholarships worth over US$1.1 million, the release said.
For more info on events, ticket/package purchases, and sponsorships, www.uwi.edu/alumnionline/uwi-chancellors-week, find @UWIAlumnionline on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, e-mail at 70@alumni.uwi.edu or 1-876-970-0967.