Minister On Bermuda College Class Of 2023
There were 102 Bermuda College graduates, with almost 54% of the Class of 2023 earning either merit or distinction, Minister of Education Diallo Rabain said.
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday [June 2] the Minister said, “I rise before this Honourable House to share information about the recent graduation events at Bermuda College and to provide details of this inimitable Class of 2023.
“I am proud to note that there were 102 graduates, with almost 54% of the Class of 2023 earning either merit [GPA 3.0 – 3.49] or distinction [GPA 3.5 – 4.0], including 4 Phi Theta Kappa Honour Society graduates. Once again, the Associate of Arts [Business Administration] programme produced the largest graduating group with 22 graduates.
“There were also 3 dual enrolment graduates who were also awarded their associate degrees and certificates before receiving their high school certificates later this month.
The 2023 Bermuda College Graduates
The Minister added, “Other Outstanding Award recipients include: -
- Most Outstanding Arts Graduate – Yasmeen Codrington-Edmead
- Most Outstanding Art & Design Graduate – Lila McHugh
- Most Outstanding Actuarial Science Graduate – Mitchiko Daquiz
- Most Outstanding Education Graduate – Jayden Cheeeseman
- Most Outstanding Early Childhood Education Graduate – Sarabi Outerbridge-Dill
- Most Outstanding Arts & Science Graduate – Tiazhe’ Trott
- Arts & Science Distinguished Dean’s Award – Yukia Hall
- Overall Most Outstanding Division of Arts and Science Award Graduate – Chantae Wilson
- Most Outstanding General Business Graduate – Iannah Caines
- Most Outstanding Management Graduate – Cheyne Smith
- Most Outstanding Accounting/Finance Graduate – Mya Peets
- Most Outstanding Information Technology Graduate – Shaun DeCouto
- Best Culinary Arts Graduate – Carolina Carter
- Ming Family Culinary Graduate Award – Gideon Wheddon
- Business & Hospitality Dean’s Award for Excellence – Sara Costa
- Most Outstanding Electrical Wiring Graduate – Da-Juan Place
- Most Outstanding Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Graduate – Shomori Fox
- Most Outstanding Plumbing Graduates – Dylan Lightbourn and Aaron- Claude White
- Most Outstanding Wood Technology Graduate – Isra Sharrieff-Furbert
- Director of Nursing & Allied Health Leadership Award – Melanie Garca
- Excellence in Clinical Nursing Practice Award – Rebekah Darrell
- Nursing Impact Award – Giselle Muhammad
- Nursing Academic Achievement Award – Jecar Chapman
- Pre-Health Science Academic Achievement Award – Gabriella Camara
- Pre-Medical Science Academic Achievement Award – Sakena Francis
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker,
This morning I rise before this Honourable House to share information about the recent graduation events at Bermuda College and to provide details of this inimitable Class of 2023.
Mr. Speaker,
Like most universities and colleges, Commencement represents the culmination and highlight of the academic year for Bermuda College. Bermuda College’s Commencement also marks the start of the graduation season in Bermuda. This year’s event was held on the afternoon of the 18th of May 2023, under the big tent on its sports field with biochemist, researcher, lecturer, and first black female founder of a genomics company in the world, Dr Carika Weldon gave the Commencement Address. The Graduate’s address was delivered by Mr Jayden Cheeseman, a former student of The Berkeley Institute who received his Associate of Science [Education] and is aspiring to be a physical education teacher.
Mr. Speaker,
I am proud to note that there were 102 graduates, with almost 54% of the Class of 2023 earning either merit [GPA 3.0 – 3.49] or distinction [GPA 3.5 – 4.0], including 4 Phi Theta Kappa Honour Society graduates. Once again, the Associate of Arts [Business Administration] programme produced the largest graduating group with 22 graduates.
Mr. Speaker,
Please indulge me at this time to share the number of graduates for other programmes represented on the graduation list, which included: -
Division of Arts & Science
- The Associate of Arts [Art & Design] – 9 graduates;
- Associate of Arts – 4;
- Associate of Arts [Early Childhood Education] – 4;
- Associate of Arts & Science – 4;
- Associate of Science – 1;
- Associate of Science [Actuarial Science] – 3;
- Associate of Science [Education] – 3
Division of Business, Hospitality & Technical Education
- Certificate for Accounting Technician – 1 graduate;
- Certificate in Applied Science Technology – 1;
- Certificate in Electrical Wiring Technology – 5;
- Certificate in Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Technology – 2;
- Certificate in Motor Vehicle Technology – 2;
- Certificate in Plumbing Technology – 2;
- Certificate in Wood Technology – 2;
- Diploma in Computer Network Technology – 1;
- Diploma in Culinary Arts – 7;
- Diploma in Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Technology – 2;
- Diploma in Plumbing Technology – 1;
- Diploma in Hospitality Management – 3;
- Associate of Applied Science [Culinary Arts] – 1;
- Associate of Applied Science [Hospitality Management] – 1;
- Associate of Arts [Business Administration] – 22;
- Associate of Science [Computer Information Systems] – 3;
Division of Nursing and Allied Health
- Associate of Science [Nursing] – 11 graduates;
- Associate of Science [Pre-Health Science] – 4;
- Associate of Science [Pre-Medical Science] – 3
Mr. Speaker,
There were also 3 dual enrolment graduates who were also awarded their associate degrees and certificates before receiving their high school certificates later this month. There were also 11 College Promise graduates, of whom 4 graduated with distinction and 3 with merit.
Mr Speaker,
As a reminder to my honourable colleagues and the listening audience, as a means to provide additional support to our public-school students, the College Promise program was introduced in 2020. This program allows any student from Cedarbridge Academy and the Berkeley Institute, who graduates with a 3.0 GPA or higher, to attend Bermuda College tuition free. I am immensely proud to see these young men and women take advantage of this opportunity, and I wish them all success in their next steps.
Mr. Speaker,
Other Outstanding Award recipients include: -
- Most Outstanding Arts Graduate – Yasmeen Codrington-Edmead
- Most Outstanding Art & Design Graduate – Lila McHugh
- Most Outstanding Actuarial Science Graduate – Mitchiko Daquiz
- Most Outstanding Education Graduate – Jayden Cheeeseman
- Most Outstanding Early Childhood Education Graduate – Sarabi Outerbridge-Dill
- Most Outstanding Arts & Science Graduate – Tiazhe’ Trott
- Arts & Science Distinguished Dean’s Award – Yukia Hall
- Overall Most Outstanding Division of Arts and Science Award Graduate – Chantae Wilson
- Most Outstanding General Business Graduate – Iannah Caines
- Most Outstanding Management Graduate – Cheyne Smith
- Most Outstanding Accounting/Finance Graduate – Mya Peets
- Most Outstanding Information Technology Graduate – Shaun DeCouto
- Best Culinary Arts Graduate – Carolina Carter
- Ming Family Culinary Graduate Award – Gideon Wheddon
- Business & Hospitality Dean’s Award for Excellence – Sara Costa
- Most Outstanding Electrical Wiring Graduate – Da-Juan Place
- Most Outstanding Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Graduate – Shomori Fox
- Most Outstanding Plumbing Graduates – Dylan Lightbourn and Aaron- Claude White
- Most Outstanding Wood Technology Graduate – Isra Sharrieff-Furbert
- Director of Nursing & Allied Health Leadership Award – Melanie Garca
- Excellence in Clinical Nursing Practice Award – Rebekah Darrell
- Nursing Impact Award – Giselle Muhammad
- Nursing Academic Achievement Award – Jecar Chapman
- Pre-Health Science Academic Achievement Award – Gabriella Camara
- Pre-Medical Science Academic Achievement Award – Sakena Francis
Mr. Speaker,
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 11 students who graduated with their Bachelor of Business Administration in Association with Bermuda College degrees through the long-standing partnership Bermuda College has with Mount Saint Vincent University. Six of whom graduated with distinction.
Mr. Speaker,
During the evening, the College’s Athora Division of Professional and Career Education [APACE] also held its awards ceremony, where it issued 269 awards covering 34 different careers in the following areas. The Certificate for Intellectual Disability, Certificate in Basic DJ-ing and the International Coaching & Leadership Institute’s Coaching Foundations Certificate were awarded for the first time.
Mr. Speaker,
Included in the APACE awardees were several public high school current students, and 2022 graduates as follows:
- Endeavour Maritime Springboard Programme
- Cohort 2022 – 8 students
- Cohort 2023 – 4 students
- Certificate for Nursing Assistants – 10 students
- City & Guilds Entry Level Introductory Award in Employability Skills – 26 students
Mr. Speaker,
I ask that you and this Honourable House join me in congratulating the Bermuda College Class of 2023 and the APACE Award Recipients, who discovered and followed their path at Bermuda College!
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
