Lisa Rodgers (far right)
Once a year, Lyford Cay Foundation scholars are asked to send in a ‘Personal Evaluation Report’ outlining the challenges and highlights of the academic year just completed as well as what they hope to achieve in the upcoming semesters. Below are excerpts of some of the correspondence we received in 2009.
Lisa Rodgers
All-Bahamas Merit Scholar 2007 (Undergraduate)
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
Field of Study: Human Biology and Education
As I reflect on the past two years at Brown, I am certain that the knowledge and skills I have acquired both inside and outside of the classroom are preparing me to attain my ultimate goal of transforming the educational landscape in The Bahamas.
The combination of classes that I am currently taking will enable me to graduate with a double concentration in Human Biology and Education. The Human Biology concentration has provided me with a sound foundation in the biological sciences, which has been enhanced by courses in the humanities and social sciences. Meanwhile, the Education concentration has opened my eyes to various human social, psychological and cultural processes within the context of education.
Last semester, I joined a research team to compare the learning beliefs of Chinese-American children to the learning beliefs of European-American children. This opportunity enabled me to learn how to conduct proper interviews, transcribe my notes and code data. Perhaps more importantly, this experience made the textbook material come to life, which is such a fundamental part of learning!
Outside of the classroom, the vast majority of my extracurricular activities revolve around the central pivot of education. For example, during the school year I tutor 7th and 8th grade high-performing, underserved students through a nationally renowned academic enrichment programme called Breakthrough. Over the summer I had the opportunity to become more fully immersed in the mission of this programme by working as a teaching intern in Miami for eight weeks. I learned that teaching is probably one of the most difficult jobs in the world but also probably the most rewarding.
In addition, I am a member of the Bruin Club, the largest student-run umbrella organization on Brown’s campus. As a member of this club, I am on the ADOCH (‘A Day on College Hill’) committee, which organizes the revisit day for admitted students. This upcoming school year I am also going to be the Information Session coordinator, which essentially means that I will be responsible for the recruitment, selection, training, and scheduling of student information session leaders.
Although seemingly unrelated to the field of education, I firmly believe that these leadership positions, which require organization, time management and communication skills, will greatly assist me in becoming a high quality teacher and eventually administrator.
Next semester, I look forward to engaging in a full schedule of classes, research and extracurricular activities before I head off to Melbourne, Australia in the spring to enrich my learning experience by studying abroad.
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Samuel David Gibson
Technical Training and Vocational Scholarship Recipient
Niagara College, Ontario, Canada
Field of Study: Electrical Engineering Technology
Highlights
As a student at Niagara College, I’m fascinated by the level of knowledge that each professor has to offer. On numerous occasions, I have witnessed our instructors going beyond their required duties to assist students on topics and labs that were challenging. Students were encouraged to join clubs that were related to their programme. As a member of IEEE (originally the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers, although it now covers numerous other disciplines) and the HAM Radio Operator Club, I have had the opportunity to interact with professors and students by assisting with designs, repairs and club meetings. This interaction has allowed us students to give and receive additional help with various projects and topics.
I was also given the opportunity to visit corporations such as Emerson Power, which manufactures transfer switches, and the Hydro One electricity production corporation, which generates electricity for the United States as well as Canada. My major highlight comes from the satisfaction of seeing students assisting their classmates with assignments and labs, making sure that their colleagues understand a topic in spite of each individual’s competitive nature.
Challenges
As a first-time college student, time management was my biggest challenge. My college curriculum consisted of seven classes, an average of three tests a week, assignments, homework and clubs. With the help of an organized time schedule and daily reminders, I was able to adjust the hours in my day to allow for a full involvement in extracurricular activities. Clubs enable students to interact with professors and other students from different countries, which helps us expand on and retain information that will be useful in the future.
Oftentimes, the Bahamian dialect presents a challenge in my communication skills with persons from around the world. As a solution to this problem, I have learned to speak more slowly and to avoid specific phrases that are common in The Bahamas but not elsewhere.
Goals
In this upcoming year I will be active as a member of the Niagara College student branch of IEEE. The Institute is recognized for its professional code of standards and honour, which assists technicians and engineers in becoming disciplined in their chosen field.
During this year I will obtain my HAM Radio Operator license, which allows communication across the world on radio frequencies, helping students understand the theory of cell phone and satellite communications. I also plan on becoming a tutor. Professors encourage students to tutor because it allows us to teach topics we understand and research topics we don’t quite fully comprehend.
Lastly, I will contribute more hours to play an active role in the community, volunteering my assistance, allowing me to appreciate the little things in life that means so much.
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Ivana Smith
Technical Training and Vocational Scholarship Recipient
Johnson & Wales University, North Miami, Florida
Field of Study: Culinary Arts and Food Service Management
Being awarded the Lyford Cay Foundation scholarship was a blessing from God. The day I found out that I had received this scholarship opened a new door for me. I was privileged and honoured to be selected as a scholar. This scholarship has assisted me tremendously and came with many benefits, such as allowing me to travel abroad to obtain my bachelor’s degree from a prestigious university. I’ve met people from all over the world, I have matured, and the knowledge I am gaining is priceless.
My first semester at Johnson and Wales University (JWU) was everything I expected and more. I was placed in a cultural international melting pot were I met people from Africa, Ecuador, and Japan. Meeting them gave me a greater appreciation for different cultures and people. I obviously had to be more responsible since I was away from my family and had to give an account for myself. Being responsible was not much of a challenge for me because I am very focused and driven. I was devoted and eager to learn. There were several sleepless nights, but it all paid off in the end.
I became a member of the international community at JWU. Being a member of this community allowed me to become more familiar with my surroundings. I went on a few field trips, with the one to Washington, DC being the most outstanding. The trip to DC was a highlight because I visited the Holocaust Museum and saw the White House and the George Washington Monument. I also got an opportunity to tell the lecturers, my peers, and others in the international community about The Bahamas and even fixed a few local dishes for them.
I felt elevated to the next level in my culinary career. It was a transition from knowing culinary basics to taking classes such as hospitality law, leadership, and hospitality marketing. Academically, my first semester was outstanding. My goal for the next two years is to strive for academic excellence and to gain as much knowledge as I possibly can. I am looking forward to a bright future at JWU.
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Bernard Cooper
Technical Training and Vocational Scholarship Recipient
Niagara College, Ontario, Canada
Field of Study: Journalism Technology
Going to college was a huge step for me. I was leaving The Bahamas, my family, and my friends to go to Canada. I was really excited and I could not wait for college to start.
My first day of classes was like a homecoming for me. The minute I told the teachers and students I was from The Bahamas, they instantly loved me and wanted to know more about the country.
During my first semester I found the work really easy and I was getting along really well in the classes. During my politics class my professor always wanted to hear how the political system in Canada differs from the political system in The Bahamas. Politics was always my favourite class because the students and my teacher alike always wanted to know my opinion on things, whether it was about the Presidential race, the government in Canada, or just politics in general. My politics professor pulled me aside in late December and told me, “What you say counts; all of your classmates are Canadian and most of them have never left the country, so in a way you are teaching them.”
The one class I struggled with all year long was my grammar class. It was very difficult. I went to that class every day with a learning mindset. Some things I understood and some things I didn’t get. I got a tutor who helped me pass the first semester, but I failed the second semester. It’s not that I wasn’t trying; it was just that everything I had learned in grammar in The Bahamas was different from what I was being taught, and it was really hard to adjust to it. I learned the UK style of writing at home, while here we follow The Canadian Press Stylebook. I am in the process of taking this class over because I don’t want to take it when school opens back up again and the workload gets even tougher.
One thing that made me really happy over this year was that, during the first semester, I barely passed the ‘In Design’ course, but last semester I did really well in that class and my professor was really happy with me. I am not so good with computers but I was able to use the open access labs to work on my In Design projects.
April 9th, 2009 was very big for me. All the hard work I had done was put into one newspaper. My journalism class wrote and produced the last edition of the school’s paper. I wrote two stories for it; the first one was about Easter and its importance, and the second one was about my trip to Ottawa, Ontario. I got high praises from my fellow students, my professors and from the local Tribune.
After the production day I told one of my professors that I was proud of myself. He asked me why and I told him, “I didn’t know I could do something like this. Yes, I have always talked about being a writer, but being able to leave my country and come here and write two good stories, I am really proud of myself.”
Niagara College was not the only place where I made a difference. Being the only black person in a 400-member church was really hard for me. At first no one related to me, but as time went on and I told members of the congregation that I was from The Bahamas, they wanted to know more. February was Black History Month and I was on the Black History Month committee at the college, but I decided to give a speech at my church about black people and their history. I did really well and got some high praises for it.
My first year of college I would call a ‘bumpy road’. There were some days I didn’t feel like going to class, some days the work was way over my head, some days I just couldn’t take the stress of college, but I dealt with it well. I put my trust in Jesus, focused on my work and I did well. I know it gets harder from here, but for me, it gets easier because a lot of the work next year is hands-on stuff and that’s the type of work I like.
I look forward to being here at Niagara College next school year to further my studies in journalism and to represent my country well. I also would like to thank the Lyford Cay Foundations for all they have done for me; they have truly helped me in achieving my dream to be a writer.
