Fraser-Pryce cops chancellor"s medal from UTech

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

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce awarded UTECH Chancellor"s medal

Sunday, February 02, 2014 | 10:11 PM    

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Olympic and World sprint champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, has been honoured by her alma mater, the University of Technology (UTech), which awarded her the Chancellor’s Medal for achievements in sport.

The medal was presented to the 2013 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Female Athlete of the Year by UTech Chancellor, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga, during the Caribbean Regional Forum on Higher Education delegates’ banquet at the Hilton Rose Hall Hotel and Spa, Rose Hall, St. James on Friday last.

The Chancellor’s Medal is the highest non-academic award which UTech can bestow, and is comparative to an Honourary Doctorate.

In her response, Mrs Fraser-Pryce, who graduated from UTech in 2012, expressed gratitude for UTech’s recognition of her achievements, describing it as a “humbling” experience.

“I have gotten so many medals before. But this one ranks among the best, because I started my journey as a professional athlete with the University of Technology in 2006,” she stated.

In noting her early aspirations towards achieving all she has attained, to date, in sport and academics, Fraser-Pryce thanked all the persons supporting the realisation of her pursuits.

She also expressed the hope that her achievements will empower and inspire other young women to believe in themselves, “and to understand that we are not a product of our environment, nor our social economic status; we are a product of what we believe in and what we strive to achieve each day.

Education Minister, Rev Ronald Thwaites, who was the guest speaker, said advances which Jamaica will and must make, particularly in education, are, to a great extent, contingent on stakeholder partnerships forged both locally and internationally.

He said one of the activities which regional tertiary education institutions must undertake is a review of the primary and secondary school systems, to ensure that the appropriate and requisite research is being done to prepare graduates for higher education.

 “Because while more students are matriculating, very often, despite acceptable results, the competences necessary for university education are not assured,” he argued.

Rev Thwaites also underscored the need for regional tertiary institutions to focus on “service to the nation”, adding that they be positioned as the “thinking arm” within their respective territories.

“The task of the regional universities and, indeed, the national ones, is to make sure that there is a close tuning in with the needs of the nation… to ensure that national needs are being supplied by the research efforts and by the focused teaching of the tertiary sector,” he contended.

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Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce awarded UTECH Chancellor"s medal