1 2 5 6 8 9 11 16 17 19 21
MESSAGE FROM EDITOR
22| FACTS ABOUT UWI
MESSAGE FROM SSDM
23 | PLACES TO KNOW ABOUT UWI
MESSAGE FROM HALL CHAIR
25 | HALL STANDARD, MOTTO AND SONG
WHO IS MARY SEACOLE? ABOUT SEACOLE MEET THE HALL COMMITTEE BLOCKS PEOPLE TO KNOW- SECURITY AND AUXILIARY STAFF FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE STUDENT TESTIMONIAL UWI DOS AND DON’TS
27 | CHUNES 28| SEACOLE’S WOW MOMENTS 29 | BOOKS TO READ 30 | POEMS FOR FIRST YEARS
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Freshettes All! I warmly welcome you to this noble institution. More specifically, I welcome you to your ‘home away from home’ the Mary Seacole Hall where it is ‘so hard to be a Seacolite but so good’. The Avian Edge is the first year magazine which serves as a guide to you as you embark on your University journey. It will inform you of the Hall’s traditions and principles, administrative staff and information on the university in general. With the Avian Edge, you will also be introduced to the student leaders who will serve you as the Hall Committee for the academic year.
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As you embark on your journey through the University of the West Indies, do so with an open mind. Let Mary Seacole and UWI be your playground. Join the game and become the best player. Make use of all the opportunities that will come your way. Be the light rising from the west according to our school song. You’ve entered into over 60 years of greatness, rich tradition, love and sisterhood. Again, Welcome to the rich legacy of Mary Seacole Hall! Welcome to the sisterhood! Kaldeen ‘Heart Attack’ Fullwood Deputy Hall Chairwoman
MESSAGE FROM THE SSDM New Seacolites, welcome to this Seacole sisterhood; a community of women who practise the art of respectful engagement and love. Mary Seacole Hall was named for the courageous Jamaican nurse, Mary Seacole. She was a woman before her time and she believed that healing was her calling. She sought out the sick and infirmed, whether they were poor did not really matter, what was important for her was that they needed her healing hands. She moved ‘hell and high water’ to ensure that she was there for those who needed her. Lucille Mathurin Mair, Mary Seacole Hall’s first warden, was a quiet storm. She served the government and people of Jamaica with conviction and finesse and later went on to serve the United Nations as a diplomat.
June Dolly Besson, Mary Seacole Hall’s second warden, was a revolutionary social worker who was responsible for the establishment of The UWI Social Work Department. Angela King, UWI’s first woman president of the Guild of Students, like Lucille Mathurin-Mair, had an illustrious career in the United Nations. These women who now form part of the Mary Seacole Hall ancestral realm left a solid legacy for us to inherit. I hope you walk into this legacy with pride and appreciation. This moment in your life is an important one. I hope you treasure each experience, each learning opportunity, and every person you engage. Do not be afraid of difference and change ,this is how you will grow and become a better and more complex versions of yourself. Grab hold of new experiences with both hands.
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The hall experience will be exactly what you make of it. So, make sure that you participate as much as is possible. This orientation period will be overwhelming, exciting ,stimulating, tiresome and at times confusing. Do not panic, you will find people along the way to reassure you, to guide you and to answer the questions you need to be answered.
At Mary Seacole Hall we pride ourselves in providing an environment that is supportive, empowering and affirming. Your sisters will help to ‘hold your hands’ and the hall’s administration will provide you with a roadmap to a successful start of your UWI journey. Make sure you see this as an opportunity that will help you make the most of your university experience.
Mary Seacole Hall is your ‘home away from home’. We look forward to supporting you on this portion of your journey. Ms Nadeen Spence Student Services and Development Manager (SSDM)
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MESSAGE FROM THE HALL CHAIRWOMAN Freshettes All! It is with pleasure that I welcome you to the Mary Seacole Hall. It is indeed a privilege to have earned a place amongst the league of over 250 women who represent some of the finest the University of the West Indies has to offer. Mary Seacole Hall, takes seriously its duty to cultivate values and ideals in women who are known for their character and concern for others. Being the only sorority on campus we aim to inspire Seacolites to lead, serve and become women committed to national transformation. Chief among this is the sacred bond of sisterhood that we share. The mission you are about 5
to embark upon calls for your unswerving dedication, commitment and perseverance on the route to excellence. I therefore charge you to challenge yourself to become a catalyst behind the development of this campus, the region and beyond- the choice lies with you; make this part of your academic journey stimulating and rewarding. Embrace each moment of this journey as both the ups and the downs will define the value of your sojourn. Welcome to the sisterhood! I look forward to working with you, under the black and white banner, to show the true strength of our sisterhood. In a few weeks you will come to understand that it’s so hard to be a Seacolite but so good. Shantal ‘Spaghetti’ Artwell Hall Chairwoman
WHO WAS MARY SEACOLE? Mary Jane Grant Seacole was a Jamaican nursing pioneer and war heroine who through her understanding service in care-giving in Jamaica and abroad, in homes and hospitals, in mines and on the battlefront helped to establish the modern nursing profession. Mary Jane Grant was born in 1805, to a renowned free Creole Doctress and Scottish Officer. At Blundell Hall, a lodging-house and a convalescent home for British soldiers, which her mother owned and managed, at 12 East Street, Kingston. Mary’s nursing career started literally in childhood as she watched her mother care for sick patients. Soon, Mary Seacole, like her mother before her, had established herself as a capable Doctress to the local British Army garrison, regularly treating soldiers at Up Park Camp and Newcastle.
She travelled extensively settling for a time in Panama just at the time of Cholera outbreak. Her treatment and cure were so successful that the local population came to rely on her and she was generally known as the ‘yellow woman from Jamaica with the cholera medicine.’ She also had excellent surgical skills and could treat Yellow Fever. Armed with extensive knowledge of diseases such as cholera, fevers, dysentery and diarrhoea Mary left Panama, at the outset of the Crimean War, determined to help her Jamaican regiments on the frontline. Refused a nursing position by the British government, she eventually set up a popular hotel and convalescent home for soldiers just behind battle lines. She also rode out to the soldier’s tents and treated them and many avoided going to the hospital. On September 9, 1855 Mary Seacole was the first woman to enter Sebastopol when the city fell. She stayed on in Balaclava aiding the sick troops for as long as the remained even though the fighting had stopped. Mary was clearly a war heroine and was awarded with Turkish, French and British military honours. In 2004 Mary Seacole was named the Greatest Black Briton. 6
“What an achievement! A black Jamaican woman in the 19th century, Mary Seacole stoop up against the discrimination and prejudices she encountered. Against all odds, Mary had an unshakable belief in the power of nursing to make a difference.”- Sylvia Denton, President, Royal College of Nursing. According to Cadogan, (1898), “in some respects, Mary Seacole made a greater contribution in the Crimean War then Florence Nightingale. Unlike Florence Nightingale who receives official support, Mary Seacole had to devise ways to support herself and buy supplies to help the sick while she resided in the Crimea. Mrs. Seacole had no official staff, nor did she work behind the battle lines in a hospital but rather she had to establish her headquarters close to the front lines between Balaclava and Sebastopol.”
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Mary Seacole was at the center of it all, she treated a hotel for the sick and provided meal and personal care for those who needed it most. She was not only emotionally and mentally strong she was also physically tough, her endurance was legendary. Her tough physical resistance allowed her to endure the whole war and to be the first woman to enter Sebastopol after it was destroyed. She remains a tribute to us all, a woman of great strength and determination, and the woman from whom our sorority is named.
ABOUT SEACOLE Named for the courageous pioneer of the
nursing profession, Mary Seacole, the hall was built in 1957 to meet the increasing demands for female accommodation on the campus of the then University College of the West Indies at Mona. There were at the time three existing halls; Irvine Hall, a co-educational facility and Chancellor and Taylor Halls which accommodated men only.
When Mary Seacole Hall first opened its doors in January 1958, students had to eat at Irvine Hall. The dining room had been built, but was empty and locked up. The warden’s residence however, had not yet been built so she had to live at the sub-warden’s flat on G Block. The student residence comprised Blocks C, D, E, F, G and H. Today the hall includes the residence of the Student Services and Development Manager, a dining room, J Block, and a range of facilities for the comfort and convenience of Seacolites.
Operating as the only sorority on campus, we’ve been the home of many noteworthy game changing women. Through the diverse programmes, clubs and societies on hall, the women are empowered and encouraged to empower those around them. The hall emphasizes outreach and activism through which we learn to advocate for the voiceless and disenfranchised. Mary Seacole Hall boasts outstanding alumna who have made and are making waves in their respective fields.
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MEET THE HALL COMMITTEE FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2019-2020 HALL CHAIRWOMAN: Shantal ‘Wardrobe’ Artwell DEPUTY HALL CHAIRWOMAN: Kaldeen ‘Heart Attack’ Fullwood TREASURER: Teresa ‘Charity’ Brown SECRETARY: Sasha ‘Own Way’ Wynter PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER: Shackyra ‘Pin Cushion’ Chambers CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT AFFAIRS CHAIRPERSONS: Jodian ‘D.W.E.E.T’ Lilly
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EXTERNAL AFFAIRS CHAIRPERSON: Jhenelle ‘Vibranium’ Small OFF CAMPUS LIAISON OFFICER: Stephena ‘Box’ Edwards CULINARY REPRESENTATIVES: Cheyonne ‘Whiplash’ Wellington, Jhanel ‘Helga’ Garwood EXTERNAL COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON: Shantel ‘Quest’ Daley RETURNING OFFICER: Shannell ‘Coffee’ Rodney
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BLOCK B, C, E, F – CROWD Crowdites All! It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the Mary Seacole Hall and to a wider extent to the Block that says loud and proud, the Block that says heat and fire; Crowd Block. We are, and together we can continue to be, the best combination ever formed. We wish you a tremendous first year experience. One filled with success, new experiences, truth, self searching, memories and laughter. Block Block Representative: Ashley ‘Switch’ Bernard, Sade ‘Laa Lee’ Casey
Shawna Stewart Senior Resident Advisor
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BLOCK D – DYNAMITE “A Positive Explosion” Welcome to Dynamite Block. It is indeed a pleasure to have new energy, talents, and ideas on Block Dynamite. As the largest block on hall, the very architectural structure encourages bonding and building community. Our colors purple combined with black and white symbolises the royalty and majesty that the Dynamite blockites strive for in their daily activities. The entire block is your support system, your cheer-leaders and yours sister in every aspect of your life. For we Rep the Dynamite! Dynamite! Dynamite! Dynamite! We Rep the TICK!!! TICK!!! TICK!!! BOOM…!!! Block Representative: Keisha ‘Rolla’ Zeleya Block Representative: Angeneil (Radio) Martin
Jillian Watson Resident Advisor
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BLOCK G – GREAT Freshettes all! Congratulations on being accepted to live on the best hall on campus the Mary Seacole Hall. Special congratulations to all those who will be living on the Greatest block on hall Great Block. We look forward to your active involvement in the many exciting activities and programmes that the hall has to offer. We welcome you to our sisterhood and to making and sharing memorable moments on your first year journey. Remember you are destined for greatness, believe in yourself and go for it. Block Representatives: Anesia ‘Always Ready’ Edwards, Trudy-Ann ‘Meh-Meh’ Davy
Aisha Matthews Resident Advisor
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BLOCK H – HYPE We so! we so! Hype! Welcome to Hype Block, where every sister is made to feel at home. Here on Hype Block, we sincerely encourage and motivate the residents to become involved, building strong sisterly bonds whilst upholding the Seacole Legacy. Known for being the ‘Hypest Block’, we never fail to step up to the plate, knowing that win or lose, WE ARE NUMBER ONE! Block Representatives: Tatiana ‘Irie’ Brown Ashley ‘Ketchup’ Bailey
Jodian Stewart Resident Advisor
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BLOCK J – JADE We commend you all for deciding to become a part of the Mary Seacole Hall sorority and the University of the West Indies by extension. Welcome to Jade Block! You are joining a community of women who are here to encourage and support you as we begin our first year journey together. We urge you to maintain a level of discipline in your endeavours, remain purpose driven, have an open mind and cherish all the bonds you’ll form and all the moments you’ll share in. We wish for you a productive year filled with extraordinary accomplishments and new experiences. Welcome to the block where “Excellence is Forever Unfolding! Jade Block! Block Representatives: Ashera ‘Penalty’ Barron, Sherifa ‘Lighting’ Robinson
Shantae Porteous Resident Advisor
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PEOPLE TO KNOW VIVIENNE BARNETT Operations Supervisor Handles the upkeep and maintenance of the Hall’s infrastructure and environs.
PATRICE THOMPSON Senior Secretary Oversees administrative functions of the hall.
ORVILLE REID Handyman Assists with the day to day operations of the hall and serves as the Hall’s bearer.
NADEEN SPENCE Student Services & Development Manager Responsible for overseeing the Hall’s operations and its environs. Supervising all staff and catering to the needs of all residents on hall.
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FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE (FYE) PROGRAMME The First Year Experience Programme is designed to help students in their first year make the transition from high school to university life. Programmes of this nature often foster the participation of first year students in co- curricular events and activities, foster their academic and personal success and promote personal development, well being and social responsibility. The programme serves to facilitate the exploration of the many opportunities available on the university campus, to assist students in discovering their purpose, identifying their strengths and aligning these newly discovered assets with a plan for their future.
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To optimise the impact of the programme, participants are expected to observe the following guidelines: ATTENDANCE 1. All first year students must participate in the programme. 2. Attend sessions regularly (no less than 75% of all large and small group sessions) and actively participate. 3. Actively participate in Hall activities. 4. Attend sessions punctually (A grace period of 10 minutes will be given, after which participants will be recorded as absent from the session) 5. Offer apologies for absence to respective mentors or FYE Coordinator before the scheduled session. In the instance that a participant is absent due to an emergency, the respective group leader is to be notified as soon as possible, after the absence and before the next scheduled session.
Attendance records for each session will be maintained and will serve as the basis for consideration for subsequent accommodation in the Mary Seacole Hall of residence. STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND SESSIONS REGULARLY, WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR PARTICIPATION IN GROUP OUTINGS and ACTIVITIES.
GROUP
RESIDENT ADVISORS
MENTORS
BESSON was named after the Hall’s second manager (warden), Ms June Dolly-Besson, who served from 1974 to 1986.
Ms. Jillian Watson
Thalia Morris Vannassa McKenzie Kaldeen Fulwood
MARTIN was named after Mrs. Jennifer Martin who served as the fifth manager (warden) from 1997 to 2002.
Ms. Shawna Stewart
Shannell Rodney Sherifa Robinson
REYNOLDS was named after Dr Thelora Reynolds who served as manager (warden) from 1991 to 1997.
Ms. Aisha Matthews
Tristen Spencer Lacie Roland Trecia Montique
MATHURIN-MAIR was named in honour of our first hall manager (warden), Dr. Lucille Mathurin-Mair who served from 1957-1974.
Ms. Shantae Porteous
Kris-Anna Blackellar Teresa Brown Selena Hamilton
GORDON-STAIR was named after Dr. Angela Gordon-Stair who served as our third manager (warden) from 1987-1991.
Ms Jodian Stewart
Shantal Artwell Celina Wallace
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STUDENT TESTIMONIAL Freshettes on H-block, Jade-block, G-block, Dynamite and Crowd, rope down freshettes rope down now! It feels like it was only yesterday that I groggily rolled out of bed after hearing a vibrant call at 5:30 in the morning on the first day of orientation, I would continue to hear this call for the remainder of the period. On days when I didn’t want to budge out of bed, something would always stir inside of me, something tugging at my sleeve, a voice saying “go on, because this is what will shape your journey”
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I had not expected much from the Mary Seacole Hall. My mother’s two main requirements were, one, a safe environment and two, a location that provided ease of access to classes (I think maybe she was worried about boys). However, being a part of the Mary Seacole Hall, I have proven that it is far more than just a place to crash while you study: it is a home, a safe space, a garden to grow and develop, to be the best student, no, the best woman that you can be. When I first arrived, I was quite worried that my personality would not mesh well with those of the other girls; being told in the past that my wit and humour can be quite overbearing. Little did I know that at every bunch-up and lyme there would be many girls there just like me with similar personalities, with whom I would make solid friendships.
My first academic semester was rough, trying to wrap my head around the myriad of tasks that I had to undergo while trying to balance hall activities was not an easy feat but my mantra held me together, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. My UCCF family was also a tower of strength during times of frustration and confusion, and that family has taught me that “with the word in your heart, and praise on your lips, your battles are already won.” This year has also taught me the value of helping others in need; in need of time, love and support. As a young woman who believes in the power of giving, I have dedicated many hours to the OSSS and as a result I have also found meaningful friendships in that space.
The various clubs at the Mary Seacole Hall have also influenced my growth here at University and I think that there is a club for each young woman that caters to every personality and need. Being a part of Speech and Communication, Theatre Collectives and the Academic Enhancement Programme have not only given me a space to express myself in a creative manner, but has taught me key skills on how to balance my responsibilities and work cooperatively with others. I will always remember that monologue from “For Colored Girls” that my sisters and I performed, and the proud look on Ms. Nadeen Spence’s face when our act came to a close; I smile every time I remember her words “yes man, mi like how unnuh soun bright”. These words among many other words of encouragement and wisdom, are words that she never misses an opportunity to impart.
As I close, I will not fail to include my memory of the First Year Experience Programme. FYE large and small groups were always informative and fun-filled. I know that I speak for my sisters of Group Martin, which of course was the best small group, that we will definitely miss sitting on Miss Shawna Stewart’s rug, eating her famous curry chicken and sharing our fondest childhood memories. Martin, do you remember that hot debate about Country vs Town, and our stimulating discussion after watching Mona Lisa Smile? I can truly say that I have learnt so much from these sessions and I have built even stronger bonds with my sisters. Miss Stewart and our FYE mentor, Coffee, never failed to ensure that we were engaged in meaningful conversations that always left my sisters and I feeling enlightened and appreciated for who we were and the women that we were striving to become. I will truly miss
giving jokes and making my sisters smile, forgetting for a minute all the work that we had to do when we got back to our rooms. At the end of the day, I can honestly declare that the young woman I was 7 months ago is not the woman I am today. I have truly observed growth in wisdom, strength and creativity and I have learnt how to walk in my purpose and to help others find their way. Go through your lessons, learn from them, rise from them, and as you dance, always follow the rhythm of your own heart. Tatiana ‘Irie’ Brown
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UNIVERSITY DOS AND DON’TS Now that you’re finished with uniforms, teachers pressuring you to get to class, ever-faithful friends reminding you of your assignments, and graduation has come and gone, you are now heading into university. Although the breath of freedom and the thought, “I’ve finally made it!” has registered, here are a few do’s and don’ts you might want to remember: DOS
DON’T
1. Pay all your financial fees before your semester starts, and ensure that you have everything set to get your ID card. Remember that your fees can be paid per semester; take note of the compulsory fees. You will more than likely need your financial clearance and your ID card to get around the university. 2. Register for classes early. Attend Academic Advising and Counselling for your respective Faculty and select classes as early as possible. Classes fill up quickly. 3. Get to know your timetable. Ensure that you have no overlapping classes and enough time between classes to get to the different locations. 4. Get acquainted with the Health Centre as well as the SAS (Student Administration System). 5. Work with your group mates to complete assignments.
1. Wait until the last minute to get all your important documents in order. 2. Skip classes. Unlike high school, not everyone will be kind enough to lend you notes and remind you of assignments. 3. Get caught up in the hype. Stay focused and keep your eye on your goals. 4. Wait days before any assignment to do your work. Once again this is not high school, and professors are usually looking for in-depth work.
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ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES UWI MOTTO - “Oriens Ex Occidente Lux” which means “Light rising from the West” established in 1949 FOUR CAMPUSES ONE UWI Cave Hill - Barbados, Mona - Jamaica, St. Augustine - Trinidad, Open Campus Antigua and Barbuda. The UWI also has 16 UWI Centres (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montsterrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turk and Caicos) THE UNIVERSITY SONG - “There is a Light”
CAMPUS SLOGANS: Cave Hill - ‘Our Graduates are the Caribbean’s Leaders: Join the tradition of excellence” MONA - ‘ UWI - Your Place to Shine’ ST. AUGUSTINE - ‘The University of Choice’ UWI COAT OF ARMS Our Coat of Arms is the single image that can represent the entire University. The crest or top is a brown Pelican which fishes along the coasts of all Caribbean countries. It is a symbol of care for the young because of the belief that it is very nurturing. It is also used as a crest by both Corpus Christi Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. UWI MASCOT - The Pelican
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PLACES TO KNOW AT UWI OFFICE OF STUDENT SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT (OSSD) OSSD is committed to supporting the University’s mission to ‘unlock the potential of the region’. It does this by creating a learning environment that facilitates and encourages the development and delivery of high quality programmes designed to foster the holistic development of the individual student.
OFFICE OF PLACEMENT AND CAREER SERVICES This is the ideal place to go for help in seeking job opportunities during the academic year, during holidays and after graduation. The Office of Placement and Career Services aims to develop and deliver programmes in the area of career development and job placement in order to meet the needs of students and alumni and the manpower needs of Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. You can check out their website at https://www. mona.uwi.edu/placement/about
UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (UHC) The University Health Centre, at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, provides a wide range of primary and secondary health care services to members of the university community. The University Health Centre aims to be the ‘conscience’ and nerve centre of wellness on campus through the development of a comprehensive wellness programme for students and staff. Contact them at 927-2520/ 970-0017
UWI MONA BOWL The University’s major sporting complex, capable of hosting netball, volleyball, swimming, basketball, lawn tennis and track and field games. The swimming pool is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm during the week and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekends. The presentation of a valid UWI ID is necessary for free access to the swimming pool.
OFFICE OF STUDENTS FINANCING (OSF) The Office of Student Financing exists to assist registered fulltime undergraduate students of the Mona Campus. The Office administers a number of scholarships, bursaries and grants as well as other forms of financial assistance and provides financial guidance to students where requested.
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GUILD - STUDENTS’ UNION The students’ union is a multi-purpose facility run by the Guild of Students. It is the centre of student activities (cultural and entertainment) and the perfect spot on campus to lyme and unwind. The complex houses a supermarket, a beauty salon, a travel agency, a gym, a badminton court, table tennis equipment and the Pepsi Playaz Club.
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HALL STANDARD, MOTTO AND SONG WHAT EVERY SEACOLITE SHOULD KNOW HALL STANDARDS Our Hall Standards are the principles that guide us as a sorority and builds us as sisters. They are also principles to guide your approach to life and how to approach your academics. MODESTY: Socially acceptable demeanour, discretion in speech, dress and conduct. ACCOUNTABILITY: Responsibility for decisions that affect your life and those of others and active participation. RELIABILITY: Dependability, trust, commitment, honesty and unity. YEARNING FOR EXCELLENCE: Strive for excellence, spurning mediocrity.
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SELFLESSNESS: Spirit of volunteerism, concern for others. EQUITY: Acknowledge, appreciate……. do not discriminate. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Responsibility for learning and development, critical and divergent thinking. CREATIVITY: Initiative, resourcefulness. OPTIMISM: Positive attitude, execution of wisdom, imagination of future pursuits. LOYALTY: Firm and constant support for the Mary Seacole family and university community. EMPOWERMENT: Uplift and strengthen yourself and your sisters.
SEACOLE PLEDGE
(Sing to the tune of Jon Brown’s Body) When Seacole Hall goes marching All the girls will march as one, Fighting for the rights of which we will not be undone, We’ll tramp through ranks of alien halls, And so protect the walls of our sorority. March, march on girls of Seacole, March with strength and virtue And the hall’s great unity We’ll keep the flag a flying Keep the name of Seacole free As marching on we go. Repeat.
I am a modern woman, Accountable for all my actions and reliable in all that I do. I promise to yearn for excellence. I pledge to live this legacy, To commit to the bond of sisterhood and to serve with selflessness and creativity. I pledge to empower every individual that I meet throughout my life To have a positive attitude towards future pursuits. I pledge to live these values today and everyday I am a WOMAN filled with virtue and value, I AM A SEACOLITE!
A Be
Seacolite But
So
! od Go
So Ha rd To
MARY SEACOLE HALL SONG
PELIDUCK CREED (Stance: bend with knees together in a squat position. Head down and salute) (Jump into Stance) Qui! For shi, am a Freshette A Peliduckling, squatting on the Mary Seacole Hall And if shi wants to earn all shi feathers Shi must obey all shi seniors Qui! (Jump out of stance) Aah!
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CHUNES Dangerous, yea we too Dangerous Dangerous, yea we too Dangerous Dangerous, yea we too Dangerous Seacole girls are too dangerous Inna contest every other hall flop Red yiy Rex a fi wi style dem a copy But we moves and we groves dem just nuh got ee Irvine over dere, dem nuh come een We nuh see dem, we smell dem, dem eva green Taylor still a try, but we nuh know dem So we always figet. . .who we a talk bout again???
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Is a easy one, two, cuz dem nuh bad a bay top shellah inna Seacole camp Wah ramp wid who? Afta dem nuh mad Done any hall mek dem all feel sad Black inna we eye, Seacole inna yuh face Seacole nuh know how loses taste Dat must be bittah, Seacole is a winner We got the keys, ride inna bimma Zim Zimma Tell the otha hall dem fi simma Dem nuh see a militant warfare we inna Come fi Seacole then dog nyam yuh dinna Zim Zimma Rex a watch we and we nah watch Preston man, yes a parrot dem 138 we nuh know who dem We fling towers to the lions dem Taylor just a pree, jus a pree, jus a pree If dem could dem woulda be one a we Nuh hall nuh badda dan Mary Sea Tell dem tek dem yiy offa we (Alternate Taylor for other halls at will)
SEACOLE’S WOW MOMENTS CLOTHESLINE PROJECT A project lead by women leaders as part of the Hall’s activities for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW). For this project, we painted messages on t-Shirts for survivors of violence to show support and raise awareness around violence against women and girls worldwide. SEACOLE SAFE SPACE This is another activity put on by the hall to observe IDEVAW. The hall provided a space for survivors of sexual violence to freely tell their stories and find healing. SEACOLE VEGETABLE GARDEN The Ujima arm of the Ubuntu Program saw the growing of vegetables in Seacole’s Garden. Products from the garden were used to assist residents on hall and it taught them how to maintain a home garden.
I’M GLAD I’M A GIRL FOUNDATION (IGIG) A foundation lead by women on the Mary Seacole Hall which explores and interrogates the situation of the girl child. IGIG seeks to remedy the various situations through advocacy, education and training. The foundation engages in educational school tours, creates safe spaces and plans and executes an annual summer camp for girls across Jamaica. ELECT HER We are home to the only Elect Her Student Leadership Workshop outside of the United States annually. It is a training workshop, with the Washington-based Running Start Leadership Program, that equips and encourages women with the tools to run for office in the Guild of Students and Hall Committees. HALL AWARDS An annual ceremony to celebrate Seacolites who excelled in various areas and activities throughout the year.
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FORMER WARDENS
(now Student Services & Development Manager) Dr. Lucille Mathurin- Mair (1957-1974) Ms. June Dolly-Besson (1974-1986) Dr. Angela Gordon-Stair (1987-1991) Dr. Thelora Reynolds (1991-1997) Mrs. Jennifer Martin (1997-2002) Mrs. Dorothy Hudson-Gail (2002-2006) Ms. Nadeen Spence (2006 to present)
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BOOKS TO READ
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama 2. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 3. Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 4. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston 5. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat 6. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 7. Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson 8. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche 9. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche 10. Dear Ijeawele: A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche 11. Homegoing by Yaa Gysai 12. Always Eat Left-Handed by Rohit Bhargava 13. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 14. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 15. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg 16. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson 17. For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange 18. TED Talk- “The Danger of a Single Story” - Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
POEMS/WORDS OF INSPIRATION FOR FIRST YEARS. DO IT ANYWAY BY MOTHER THERESA
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway. 30
STILL I RISE BY MAYA ANGELOU You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, 31
You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise
OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE NELSON MANDELA Inaugural Speech, 1994 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; your playing small doesn’t deserve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
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