BY ANTHONY LEWIS Observer writer
Monday, February 03, 2014
ROSE HALL, St James — The University of Technology Jamaica (UTech) on Friday awarded Jamaica’s sprint sensation Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with the university’s prestigious chancellor’s medal during a delegates’ banquet.
The banquet forms part of the first staging of the semi-annual meeting of the 2014 International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), which was held at the Hilton Rose Hall Hotel and Spa in St James.
The IAUP is an association of university chief executive officers, presidents, rectors, vice-chancellors and chancellors from higher education institutions around the world.
The prestigious award was presented to Fraser-Pryce, an Olympic champion and past student of the university by Chancellor of UTech Edward Seaga. The activity was witnessed by her husband Jason, Professor Errol Morrison, president of UTech and chair of the Caribbean Region of IAUP; Professor Neal King, president of IAUP.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites; president of the MVP Track Club Bruce James, and university presidents from across the world.
Fraser-Pryce in accepting the award said of all awards received in the past this was among the best due to the fact that her journey started at UTech.
She said graduating from UTech was her greatest achievement as in the beginning she was encouraged by persons to do her studies overseas.
“When I left high school and joined the UTech family, many persons said I should go overseas and go to university abroad and I said no, I wanted to stay here in Jamaica and I wanted to continue my education here. And persons thought it wasn’t possible for an athlete to do well in track and also do well in the classroom, but I had something to prove because for my family no one went to college, nobody had a degree and it was my time to change that.
“And I want to thank the chancellor and the president for giving me this honour, for continuing to believe in who I am. And, I also want to say that I am who I am because you gave me a chance and I blossomed in the person I am today because I have learnt something so profound at the University of Technology, and education goes a far way.
“When you have it no one can take it from you. And I thank you for allowing me the honour to stand here to receive this honour,” Fraser-Pryce said.
Fraser-Pryce graduated from UTech in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Care and Adolescent Development.
The aim of the IAUP meet is to provide universities in the region with an opportunity to share institutional experiences with and explore relationships between regional and international institutions.
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Fraser-Pryce cops chancellor"s medal from UTech
