The UTTer Issue 1

Issue 1 | August 2013

Academic Year In Review

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he Student Guild at UTT is the officially recognised body with the primary function of supporting and representing the student body, while fulfilling its mission to ‘enhance the student experience’. In order for this to be done, we require your feedback. Many a time we students feel as though our ideas and opinions have no avenue to be voiced, or when an avenue is given, we feel as though our voices fall on deaf ears. The UTTer serves to prevent such an occurrence by being the official medium through which our utterances, as students, are heard. In this regard, the UTTer aims to transform our utterances into a unified student voice- the UTTer!

Executive Guild Members (L-R): Shane Boodoosingh-Public Relations Officer, Dayna Rampersad-Secretary, Wade David-Executive President, Jinelle Schulere-Treasurer, Sean Daniel-Executive Vice President.

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Table of Contents

Credits Editor

The Executive Guild of Students

Writers

Shane Boodoosingh Keron Weekes

Layout and Design Christopher Russell (tinglagency.com)

Photography

UTT Student Voice

Contributors

4 Message from the President 5 In the Spotlight 6 Looking through my Rearview 8 Student Commentary

Stephan Hernandez Ramon Granderson Dinnique Panchoo Luis A. Abdul-Melendez

9 Alumni Advice with Stephan Hernandez

10 Comic 11 Going for Gold

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Article

Message From The President

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s always, it gives me great pleasure to address you in the official capacity of your Guild President. As we reach the end of the academic year I cannot help but reflect on the significance that this juncture brings. On one hand, there is a feeling of pride and humility that we have tarried till the end. On the other hand, there lurks a sense of anxious expectation for what the immediate future will bring. If this past year has taught us anything at all, I’m sure we can all agree that the meanings of terms like discipline, determination and pride are among the lessons learnt. We must not forget these lessons, but instead use them to steer the course of our future.

As students of the National University, we have an added responsibility to bear. With last year’s graduation ceremonies coinciding with the golden jubilee celebrations of our nation’s independence, that responsibility became even more evident. Our task is to reinvest our time and talents into activities that foster nation building. We must rededicate ourselves to the very values which have aided us in reaching thus far as a nation; values of discipline, tolerance and production. Most importantly, we must not look upon our youth as a handicap, but instead seize the opportunities which present themselves at this time in our life in an effort to create a better Trinidad and Tobago for ourselves and future generations.

I cannot help but reflect too on our achievements. This past year has seen UTT’s students excel across the board; whether in the field of sport, in the arts, in fashion or in academics, time and again we have witnessed praises gone the way of UTT achievers.

Indeed, the life of a university student is a demanding one. One can only imagine the extra efforts and sacrifices that had to be made to achieve such feats. You have brought pride to the University, to your families and to yourselves. For this I salute you!

Now I do not mean to paint a perfect picture, nor do I wish to dwell on the negative aspects of our journey, but we must also acknowledge the fact that just like any other young organisation, we continue to experience growing pains. This past year has brought with it obstacles which at times we may have wished we never had to face. Nonetheless, we must recognise that no organisation does

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every single thing right. Instead, we must understand that success is attained by focusing on one’s strengths while improving on one’s faults. Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran guides us on our way forward.

He explains succinctly, “advance and never halt for advancing is perfection.” This is the type of perfection for which we must strive.

In closing, I encourage every one of us to aim for excellence. As the present administration leaves office there is sure to be a sense of uncertainty that goes with the unknown of the future. Such is the inescapable nature of succession! We must not allow ourselves to be crippled by this fear but press forward, in solidarity toward our individual and collective goals.

I leave with words of advice for the soon to be elected members of the new Executive Guild and you the student body by extension. Being the principal stakeholder in tertiary education, we the students are the University. We must therefore never take for granted our role, but always remember our worth and the responsibility we have to become beacons of hope for a brighter future in Trinidad and Tobago.

Yours in Service Wade David Executive President Student Guild of the University of Trinidad and Tobago

Highlights

In the

Spotlight

Daystar Swift is a member of the UTT Netballers and participant in the 23rd season of the Courts All Sectors Netball League. Daystar’s prolific ability as a goal shoot saw her team earn an impressive six (6) titles this season.

Stephen Enile (standing left) was the 2011 winner of UTT IDEAS Competition in the category of Sports, Health and Leisure. Further to this Stephen also won this year’s Youth Advisory Committee Slogan Competition (T&T Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative- TTEITI) with the slogan: Guardians today for a sustainable tomorrow.

Dr Donnie Boodlal is the embodiment of UTT’s entrepreneurial spirit. His work on the Cost-Effective Strategies for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Trinidad and Tobago is highly rated and he is regarded nationally as being at the forefront of the field of emissions reductions.

Mark Eastman and Lisa See Tai were part of the London Showcase, a part of London Fashion Week 2013, at the T&T High Commission in London. Among them includes a long list of achievements such as a showcase at B.B. Fashion Week 2012-Barbados (Mark) and winner of UTT’s Design Critic Awards 2011 (Lisa).

Leading from the front in his central striker role, Keron Doldron captained UTT’s High Performance Football Team to success in the Southern Football Association’s (SFA) Second Division, giving the team subsequent promotion into the First Division; a feat never before achieved by any university team.

Known as the “dress coutourist”, Angel Cooper is an exemplary graduate of UTT who, upon graduation, did UTT proud by being selected to showcase her talent at the Ottawa Fashion Week 2013 (Canada). The “dress coutourist” continues to stun the fashion world with her company Angel Glow Designs.

Named the “Unofficial Photographer” for events at UTT’s ECIAF Campus, Saeed Ali entered the Environmental Management Authority’s (EMA) Aripo Savannah Photography Competition placing 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the Flora, Landscape and Fauna categories respectively.

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Staring Through

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My Rearview

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Student Commentary

PROUD

Ambassador

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s I approach the end of my undergraduate studies at UTT I can’t help but think of myself as a proud UTT Ambassador. I have humbly come through the ranks and have been involved in most aspects of student life, ranging from student volunteerism to student internships and now I serve in the capacity of the Public Relations Officer of the Executive Guild. Having experienced the full spectrum of what UTT has to offer, I can truly say that I am a converted believer in what UTT stands for, what it has to offer, and what it is yet to achieve.

The thing that sticks out to me the most is UTT’s entrepreneurial thrust which fashions all its operations. On doing my research for this commentary I was pleasantly surprised as a new light was shed on all that we as students are deliberately exposed to at UTT. The University follows the “Triple Helix Concept” of an Entrepreneurial University as posited by Henry Etzkowitz. This model sees a healthy interaction between industry, government and academia in an effort to innovate and creatively address the problems which arise in the process of national, economic and social development.

As the name states “The Creativity Campus,” is nothing short of a thrill.

With students in the fields of Fashion, Animation, Visual Communication and other engineering fields, one is guaranteed to be amazed on a weekly basis. Students are entertained by the creations of others and from demonstrating their work to others new ideas are conceived in the minds of an innocent onlooker. The campus life itself would have to be my favourite aspect. Never before have I interacted with individuals of such talent, while still understanding that it is all about a team effort.

Such a model of the university is quite different from the traditional model which has the university grouped into the different faculties and aims at the advancement of research and academia. While many of us may be unfamiliar Etkowitz’s structure, it helps to guide the way we do things at UTT.

I’m sure the question arises, why take the risk of employing Luis A. Abdul-Melendez a relatively new model for - John S. Donaldson Campus something as serious as our education? The answer is simple, underemployment. Underemployment, in a broad sense, can be described as the under utilisation of a person’s skills. It is a growing economic problem globally which has already started to take root in Trinidad and Tobago as well. With an ever increasing number of university-trained persons globally, it is becoming more difficult for world economies to provide jobs which match these persons’ qualifications. In Spain, for instance, it has become common for university graduates who land jobs in Starbucks to be 8

considered ‘lucky’, due to the job stability the company provides.

A lot is left to be said about the glaring irony of such a scenario though.

No longer can the university’s role be limited to that of a sacred haven for academic enrichment. Instead, the university is forced to play a more active and direct role in development. This is what we are taught at UTT! With the University being designed in different clusters which cater to various national needs (the Being a student at the Corinth Campus is a wonderful experience! Here there is a Maritime Campus to address vibrant campus life and a very active student development in our Maritime body. The best experience at my campus for industry, APA to enhance the me has been our Sports Day display and our capturing victory in the March Past Arts and the Energy Campus for the first time since I’ve been attending at Point Lisas to sustain our UTT. Even though we lost our major event, energy industry), we are the tug-of-war, our victory in the overall trained to think in terms of sports day was terrific and we were really seen as what we are “Corinthians Fearless national demands and supply.

Conquerors.”

Also, forums such as the Ideas Competition and the Student Dinnique Panchoo- Corinth Campus Volunteer Centre help mould our brains to think in terms of solutions to some of the needs and problems in society. Not enough can be said either about the entrepreneurial component in all courses of study which teach us to take calculated risks and to think out of the box.

While it may be a bit early and therefore difficult, to judge the overall success of such a noble and novel approach to education, we must not allow our beliefs in what we were taught to waver. One only has to look at the larger world community, the challenges that exist and the global emphasis on entrepreneurship to realise that we are heading in the right direction.

Having recently celebrated 50 years of Independence as a national community we must stop and re-assess the ways in which we will progress over the next 50 years. With youth on our side we have become the proponents of this progress. We have received a sound foundation on which to build. Being students and alumni of the only National University, the onus is on us even more. As we move forward, let us do so with patriotism and pride, operating as UTT Ambassadors in the truest sense of the word.

By Shane Boodoosingh PRO of the Executive Guild

Alumni Advice with Stephan Hernandez

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tephan David Hernandez, the second of two boys, hails from very humble beginnings in the community of Diego Martin.

Since the tender age of 7 Mr. Hernandez has been involved in the Performing Arts, taking part in church, school, and chorale performances. At the age of 13 he discovered his singing potential and was encouraged by his teachers, friends and family to pursue a career in singing. Although he heeded reluctantly, he slowly began to gain confidence in his ability. Studying the mechanics of singing under vocal tutor Ms. June Nathaniel, principal of the Key Academy and cofounder of the Classical Music Development Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago, Stephan quickly transformed raw talent into success. In the 2010 Biannual Music Festival he won the Adjudicators Cup for “Most Outstanding Baritone” and the Abdool Plaque for “Best Male Soloist”.

However, he credits his fondest musical experiences to his involvement with the Marionettes Chorale, under the direction of Gretta Taylor. The opportunity he received to acquire great musical memories is something he will always cherish. “The Marionettes management team is like a well-oiled machine, one can learn so much from observing them work. I will always remember my Marionettes family, they have helped shaped the man and musician I am today!”

Stephan is a member of the first cohort of UTT graduates from the Academy of Performing Arts’ Artist Diploma in Music Performance programme. At the Academy he studied under Dr. Vetrelle Mickens voice teacher and Mr. Hayward Mickens vocal coach. In pursuit of his dream, and under the encouragement of his teachers, friends and family he applied, auditioned and was awarded a partial academic scholarship into The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. There Stephan pursues a Bachelor’s degree in Music –Vocal Performance.

Stephan is due to return home later this month. He plans to give back to his foundation and show appreciation to those who helped nurture his development with a “Gift of Love”. “A Gift of Love” is a recital of ‘Negro Spirituals’ which takes place on August 18th at the St. John’s the Evangelist R.C. Church. Mr. Hernandez would be accompanied by former vocal coach and teacher Professor Hayward Mickens of the Academy of the Performing Arts. In the spirit of giving back Stephan left these words of advice for you students:

PLAN! It is never too early to have a plan as to how you will achieve your goal. You must have a course of action and must work every day towards that plan. It does not matter where or what you come from you can achieve anything through hard work and prayer.

BE GRACIOUS! There is never an excuse to be unkind, unpleasant, condescending or just outright rude in the professional world.

Graciousness and a proper work ethic have served me well and continue to. You can be the smartest and most talented individual, but no one cares if you are difficult to work with. This is just a simple truth that we realise sooner or later.

BE DILIGENT! Do not rely on your talents or innate abilities to see you to the top. What distinguishes the people we look up to? It is simple; they worked extremely hard every day and never stopped.

There will be days that you do not feel to work which is fine, but it is especially on days like these that you must work even harder.

We work hard now in our youth so that in our mid-life and beyond we can reap the success of our diligence. Luciano Pavarotti said success was 95% hard work and 5% talent. Your motivation should go beyond material wealth. In today’s world you need to tap in to something deeper than that which is material to stay motivated.

NEVER FORGET YOUR FOUNDATION! Do not ever forget where you came from and the values you were taught. As Trinbagonians and students of the National University, we come from a rich, culturally diverse background that is unlike any other.

We should cherish and hold on to our uniqueness. Your individual identity is what makes you a marketable brand.

HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM! I have been fortunate beyond measure to have the support of my mother who has stood by me through thick and thin. Though she may not have academic accolades after her name she has something those things cannot compensate for, life experience! We have developed a friendship which I cherish dearly. I tell her what is happening with me and although she is not a musician and may not understand everything that I go through, she always gives sound advice, especially when it comes to dealing with people and defusing situations. I also have my older brother who is a pillar of support. No man is an island on to his self!

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Comic

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by Ramon Granderson

Sports

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Going For Gold

orns blowing, rhythm section going, athletes competing and officials officiating. This was the scene from the stands to the field on Friday 15th March 2013, as The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) held its annual Inter-Campus Sports Day. Many attested that the day proved to be a fitting climax to a long and stressful week.

Starting with a march past competition, students and staff teamed up with their respective campuses for the chance to be crowned 2013 March Past Champions. Each team that passed the judges made sure that a balanced mix of entertainment and military formation was offered to all in attendance. By 12:00 noon the shock result was delivered to the delight of some and dismay of others: 3-time defending champions Valsayn were dethroned by the team from the Corinth Campus. O’Meara Eagles soared to second spot while the Knights of John’D settled for third.

Following the March Past were the track and novelty events. Participants pitted themselves against each other in friendly rivalry. The sprint races brought spectators to the edge of their seats in nervous anticipation for a winner from their campus. The novelty events, such as the balloon throw, saw participants soaked while the spectators made it their duty to highlight the humour of such a sight.

As the day’s events came to an end those present were treated to entertainment from reigning Soca Monarch Super Blue. The Corinthians of Corinth Campus seemed to particularly enjoy the “bouncing” on what turned out to be a ‘Fantastic Friday’. They left no spoils taking the overall title of the Sports Day Champions 2013.

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