The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Education Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The University of The Bahamas (UoB) held its spring commencement ceremony on May 25 propelling 583 graduates from nine academic units towards successful careers throughout the country.

Among these graduates was Keithra Toote who first enrolled in UoB in 2016 at 24 years old. Keithra, a single mother, struggled to find both the time and financing necessary to begin pursuing her degree.

Despite the odds against her, Keithra decided to enroll in the university and ended up making the President’s List every semester. Seven years later, Keithra graduated from UoB as the 2023 Class President with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with distinction.

Despite her busy and demanding schedule, Keithra still carved out time to be fully engaged in UB’s campus life. She ended up enrolling in UB’s National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), and a year later became its student president. In that role, she mentored over 300 university students in leadership. She also served as a Spanish tutor and in 2022, she was awarded the Mingoes in Leadership award.

She said “I never imagined that would be me, when I decided to pursue higher education, my thought process was to get in and get out. I never planned to be involved as much as I was. Being the first student president to win that award for the NSLS was historic, and I will never forget that.”

With her UB journey behind her, Keithra wants to become a Spanish interpreter and translator and hopefully add value to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Those plans are going well, as she recently interned as a conference interpreter at the Caribbean Regional Heads of Government Meeting in preparation for COP27.

Keithra’s biggest dream is to one day obtain a doctoral degree so that she can return to her alma mater and become a Spanish lecturer just like the ones who taught her so diligently.

Graduate Shapreka Clarke chipped and clawed away at forging a path into the healthcare profession for over 20 years, honouring a dream she has had since she was ten years old. She pursued and ultimately obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Roanoke College with hopes of attending medical school.

Shapreka was unable to attend medical school, and before she knew it, she was back home in The Bahamas and working in roles that were far cries from her original passion.

As fate would have it, Shapreka ended up developing close friendships with nurses in Eleuthera, and just like that, she had an epiphany.

She said “That was my ‘light-bulb’ moment, I realised that nursing was for me — this was the field I was destined to be a part of.”

In 2019, Shapreka enrolled in UoB’s School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, and five years later she graduated from UB with her Nursing degree.

She said “I feel excited, this is the end of a long journey for me and I am so happy to be here. Although my journey had a lot of twists and turns, I finally got here. This degree, for me, is a testament that you should never give up on your dreams. With determination, resilience and commitment, you can accomplish anything.”

During her four years as a UB student, Shapreka was extremely active with campus organisations and activities. She volunteered with UoB’s Rotaract Club; was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS); served as the Deputy Secretary General, and later the Secretary General of UoB’s Student Government Association (SGA); served as a Student Trustee on UoB’s Board of Trustees; and also served as Vice President of UoB’s Graduating Class Council.

She said “Honestly, balancing everything was not easy,and there were some days when it was just difficult. But staying organised and being on top of my schedule definitely helped. In a way, being involved with extracurricular activities helped me to stay connected to UB. I enjoyed getting involved in different clubs and being in leadership positions. I have learned so much from these experiences and they have helped me to hone my leadership abilities.”

Upon graduating from UoB, she plans to work at one of the local hospitals and pursue a certification in Emergency Nursing.

Architecture graduate Selina Adams knew that if she wanted to take the next step in her personal life and professional career, she had to challenge herself even further. So, in 2018, she made the decision to enroll in UoB’s architecture programme.

Selina graduated from UB at the top of her class with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, having maintained a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) during her five years at the institution, and thus earning herself a golden Cord of Distinction.

She said “It feels so good to finally reach the end of my five-year program,the greatest source of pride for me in my journey to attaining my degree is the culmination of all my achievements and experiences at UB. ”

Selina had balance motherhood, working at an architectural firm, traveling, and honoring academic obligations while actively participating in various campus clubs and organizations, chief of which was UB’s Women’s Softball Team.

She was nominated for Academic Student of the Year for two consecutive years, and in 2023, won the Soror Scholar of the Year Award for her membership and involvement in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

“UB definitely provided a challenging academic environment that pushed me to strive for excellence,” said Selina. “Balancing the demands of my architecture studies and career while participating in extracurricular activities has taught me the importance of time management, adaptability, and perseverance.

Selina has been accepted to four universities to pursue her graduate studies. The plan is to pursue her master’s degree while working at the architectural firm she’s been employed at for the past 20 years.