Mrs. Therrain Davis (right), Lecturer, School of Allied Health and Wellness, College of Health Sciences (COHS) presents students from the School’s Child and Adolescent Development Programme, Akaylia Jarret (left), Ronique Smith (2nd right) and Nia Malcolm Anderson, with the 2024/2025 Ulix Samuel Mclarty Award for Outstanding Performance in Year 4 Practicum, during the COHS Annual Awards Ceremony held on February 26, 2026, at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, University of Technology, Jamaica Papine Campus.
Academic excellence and outstanding service were celebrated at the College of Health Sciences’ Annual Awards Ceremony held on February 26, 2026, at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, University of Technology, Jamaica Papine Campus
Under the theme “Resilience by Design: Creating a Culture of Health and Wellness,” the event recognized students, faculty, and staff for their achievements during the 2024/2025 academic year, highlighting contributions across the three schools within the College: Caribbean School of Nursing, School of Allied Health and Wellness and the School of Pharmacy. Students who met the academic criteria for the Dean’s List Award by maintaining a GPA of 3.67 and above and receiving passes in all modules on the first attempt were also celebrated for their exceptional academic performance.
In his greetings, Dr. Kevin Brown, President, University of Technology, Jamaica congratulated the student awardees specially acknowledging those from the western campus who faced significant challenges in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. “Your commitment to excellence has borne fruit and today we’re celebrating your hard work, we’re acknowledging your discipline and your resilience that has brought you to this moment.”
Dr. Brown further emphasized that resilience is not accidental but intentional and must be cultivated, “It must be designed into our systems, our structures and our personal life,” he added. He encouraged students to identify gaps within the healthcare system, use the knowledge acquired from their UTech, Jamaica education and improve the systems.
Professor Adella Campbell, Dean, College of Health Sciences also commended the awardees for their dedication and perseverance noting, “we are proud of every one of you,” adding “we wish you continued success as you seek to serve the health system in your various health specialties.”
Recognizing the hard work and dedication of students, Professor Campbell shared, “we know that your achievements did not happen by chance. They were built through discipline, sacrifice and perseverance.” She encouraged the students to make resilience “a daily choice” in the face of adversity.
Mrs. Dorrset Gabbidon Pottinger, Assistant Registrar, Student Services in bringing greetings on behalf of Miss Marion Brown, Vice President and University Registrar joined in commending the awardees and encouraged them to continue supporting one another throughout their academic and professional journeys, emphasizing that “You are preparing not only to enter health professions, but to serve humanity with integrity and care.” She also expressed appreciation to the students’ loved ones, mentors, and faculty members whose guidance and encouragement contributed to their success.
A motivational keynote address was delivered by journalist Jovan Johnson. He encouraged students to reflect on resilience within their chosen professions. He began by posing a thought-provoking question to the audience: “Have you ever wondered how a journalist copes when they have to cover difficult events?”
Using the question as a starting point, he explained that resilience is the ability to endure difficult experiences without being broken by them. He also introduced the concept of “clinical elasticity,” a term he coined to describe the emotional strength required in demanding professions. According to Mr. Johnson, it is “the ability to absorb the trauma, the stress of a failing grade, the grief of losing a patient, classmate or colleague, and to return the next morning still capable of compassion.”
Returning to the question he posed earlier, he noted that the same challenge applies to those entering the health sector. He stressed that empathy and awareness of the environments in which people work are essential. “It’s important that we do that because empathy and understanding of people and the spaces that they work in are very, very important,” he said.
He further urged students to consider how they will navigate the inevitable challenges of their careers, noting that institutions must create systems that support students and professionals rather than glorify burnout.
“When you have systems as students that do not glorify burnout but recognize that when you go into society, you bring that experience with you, it becomes important to design systems and shape policy, principles and processes,” he explained. Such measures, he said, are critical to ensuring resilience so that health, wellness and productivity are sustained, while exhaustion and burnout are not celebrated.
Johnson also emphasized the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining well-being. “Self-care does not come at the end of a journey,” he said. “Self-care is a structured part of the process.” He concluded by urging students to “be intentional.”
Awards Highlights
Best All Round Students in Nursing
Ramone Young (centre) and Brittney Robinson (right) receive the Professor Adella Campbell Award for Best All-Round Student in Nursing from Professor Adella Campbell (left), Dean of the College of Health Sciences. Ramone also received the Shirlene Marshall Davis Award for Leadership and was a Dean’s List awardee, while Robinson was also named to the Dean’s List.
Dietetics & Nutrition Award for Exemplary Dietetics and Nutrition.
Dr. Christine Fray (left) Associate Professor in the School of Allied Health & Wellness, College of Health Sciences presents Kaydian Frith with the Jamaica Association of Professionals in Dietetics & Nutrition Award for Exemplary Dietetics and Nutrition.
Outstanding Academic Performance in Pharmaceutical Technology
Mrs. Modupeola Abayomi (right), Senior Lecturer, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences presents Shanice Russell with the Certificate for Outstanding Academic Performance in Pharmaceutical Technology 2.
Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) Award for Academic Excellence
Charlene Atkins-Israel (left) receives the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) Award for Academic Excellence from Mrs. Keron Jones-Fraser, Lecturer, Caribbean School of Nursing. Charlene was also a Dean’s List awardee.
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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: (876) 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm
