Nursing and Midwifery Students Earn Their Stripes
Nursing and midwifery students and staff gather at the Caribbean School of Nursing, UTech, Jamaica Montego Bay Campus for the presentation of stripes and special awards which preceded the virtual 10th Annual Striping Ceremony, held on Friday, February 26, 2021, via the Zoom platform.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Bachelor of Science in Midwifery were celebrated by the Caribbean School of Nursing (CSON), College of Health Sciences (COHS) for successful progression in their courses of study at the 10th Annual Striping Ceremony held on Friday, February 26, 2021 via the Zoom platform. The ceremony, themed “Nursing and Midwifery Students Pursuing Excellence Amidst Unprecedented Times” recognized 1st to 4th year students for their successful completion of academic and professional requirements, and for the display of good behaviour and attitudes.
Dr. Adella Campbell, Head, Caribbean School of Nursing in her remarks, had high praises for the students whose performance she noted “has exceeded expectation”. Dr. Campbell revealed that the School has achieved the most students on the Dean’s list, with sixty students earning a cumulative GPA of 3.45; an achievement, she noted, made more remarkable since students faced the obstacles of financial, familial, professional and personal challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have quickly had to adjust to the new normal, which saw classes transitioned to online modality, utilizing various platforms, adjusting lab sessions and clinical practicum to align with Disaster Risk Management protocols and government guidelines geared at containing the virus,” she noted, adding that “CSON, nonetheless, has proved its resilience and worth, in a changing world.” The Head of School also had high praises for her staff at the Papine and Montego Bay campuses, thanking them for going beyond the call of duty and for continuing to work under challenging circumstances and noting that their dedication to education has resulted in students graduating with high honours, including at the recent University graduation ceremony where four CSON graduates were awarded degrees with first class honours.
Professor Colin Gyles, Acting President, expressed his delight at the stellar achievement of over four hundred nursing and midwifery students who earned their stripes, noting that he was encouraged “that our students have put in the hard work to maintain and achieve excellence, notwithstanding the extra challenges and upheavals resulting from these unprecedented times.” The Acting President urged students to continue to strive for excellence, noting that the advent of the COVID-19 vaccinations brightened the outlook for the future, and expressed his pride and admiration for students who had weathered the storm to continue their studies and achieve their aspirations. Professor Gyles also had high praises for the leadership and staff of the College of Health Sciences, commending the team for their “innovation and creativity” in recognizing student achievements, and their “resilience and commitment” in ensuring excellence at the highest level.
Dr. Janet Campbell-Shelly, Dean, COHS also had high praises for the staff of CSON, pledging her continued support for the students as the College navigated the perilous times of the pandemic.
Greetings were also received from Mrs. Mercedes Deane, University Registrar, Mrs. Patricia Ingram-Martin, Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness and Mrs. Sharon Banbury-Edwards, Assistant Public Relations Officer, Midwives Association of Jamaica.
Keynote speaker the Most Hon. Mrs. Juliet Holness, Deputy Speaker of the House and Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew, employing the allegory of the ten wise and ten foolish virgins, urged students to fully invest themselves in their training, and to also be as prepared as possible for the difficulties of life. Highlighting the constraints of the pandemic, Mrs. Holness congratulated the nursing and midwifery students for staying the course, and achieving greatness despite the odds.
Dr. Adella Campbell, Head, Caribbean School of Nursing, presents Mrs. Juliet Holness, Deputy Speaker of the House and Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew, with a token of appreciation following her keynote address at the virtual presentation of the 10th Annual Striping Ceremony, held on Friday, February 26, 2021, via the Zoom platform.
Dr. Adella Campbell, Head, Caribbean School of Nursing affixes a stripe to Nursing Student Trisha Goodlitt at a pre-ceremony presentation of stripes and special awards at the University’s Montego Bay Campus on Thursday, February 18, 2021.
Dr. Adella Campbell, Head, Caribbean School of Nursing presents 4th year nursing student Melissa Grant Lawson with the award for the highest cumulative GPA of 3.80, during a pre-ceremony presentation of stripes and special awards at the University’s Papine Campus on Friday, February 18, 2021.
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University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: 876 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm