On Sunday October 10th 2021, Ms. Nadine Jean-Pierre graduated as the 2020/2021 Valedictorian for the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus. Jean Pierre holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies and Accounting with first class honors. She is proud to be an Antiguan national with Dominican parents. She is even more elated to become the first university graduate in her family.
Jean-Pierre expressed that initially she wanted to become a teacher. However, throughout her teenage years she developed a strong love for accounting and made a decision that it would be her life’s pursuit. Nevertheless, she has not completely abandoned her love for teaching as she aspires to develop a learning institution for educating students who are in need of academic assistance.
Upon interview with Emonews Ltd., Jean-Pierre expressed that she felt honored to have been chosen as the Valedictorian for the 2020/2021 academic year. She expressed, “My main aim was to simply graduate with First Class Honors. After receiving the news that I was deemed the Valedictorian, I was filled with excitement. I felt honored to have been considered for this title and I could not have been any happier.”
Nonetheless, Jean-Pierre notes that her success did not come without a number of challenges. She stated, “One of the main challenges that I’ve had to overcome throughout my studies is the way that I had to adapt to a new learning environment. Due to the pandemic, we had to continue our studies online, that was a challenge for me. I am more of a hands-on person who prefers to be taught face to face and having one-on-one interactions with my lecturers.” Despite this, she noted that she had to find ways to tackle this challenge. Accordingly, she made the necessary adjustments so that she could have learnt in the similar fashion as the interactive classes. With her determination to obtain good grades, she researched ways to cope with online learning. She also thanked the administration of the university for their presentations on how to navigate through online schooling.
In addition, she noted that another challenge that she faced was balancing her school and work duties. “School was my number one priority, but I had to work to sustain myself through school. I had to learn how to manage my time wisely so I could do well in school, as well as getting enough rest after work, so I do not become exhausted,” she expressed. Jean Pierre noted that she had to formulate a daily time schedule where she would allot times for sleep, study, classes, work and assignments. “I had to sacrifice my social life with friends and family as well as majority of my sleep to get things done,” she stated humbly.
Furthermore, Jean-Pierre explained that one thing which has pushed her to succeed is poverty. She noted, “I am determined to lessen and one day eliminate the poverty that exists within my family. My parents have not always been financially fortunate enough to fund my educational journey and I want to change that. However, they both tried their best and I was bent on making them proud.” Moreover, she noted that both her parents are from Dominica but migrated to Antigua many years ago. Her mother is from Calibishie and her father if from Goodwill, Roseau. She continued, “My success is not for only me, but it is also for my home country (Antigua) and my second home country (Dominica), where majority of my family reside.”
When asked if she looks forward to pursuing other things, Jean-Pierre remarked that she definitely sees herself pursuing more in the not too distant future. “I want to become ACCA certified and one day aspire to operate my own accounting firm. I also see myself pursuing my master’s degree so that I can become an educator to educational institutions in my country and other OECS states,” she explained. She also noted that she has a great desire to become a motivational speaker regionally and internationally to encourage persons to be the best version of themselves.
Further, the recently awarded valedictorian encouraged other persons to strive for success. “To encourage other persons, I would say to them, never let unfortunate situations that affect you, deter you from achieving your goals.” She added that there are many persons who can attest to her story. She has had to overcome lack of finances and lack of encouragement and support but with the grace of God, she has been able to push through. She advised, “Have faith in Christ and all that you ask for will be granted, once it is apart of His Will. Lastly, ask for help. You may be surprised as to how many persons, who you may not even know, will be willing to assist you in any way that they can.”
