Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, on October 23^rd 2021, the UWI Cave Hill Campus bid farewell to approximately 1,400 graduates via its virtual ceremony. Iyka Dorival, one of the budding graduates and a proud national of the Commonwealth of Dominica, captured the prominent status of Valedictorian for the 2020/2021 academic year. Dorival read for Bachelor of Laws and was awarded the highest degree, that of First Class Honors which compliments her status of Valedictorian. At present, she is pursuing a Legal Education Certificate (LEC) at the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica.

Interestingly, her love for law started quite early dating all the way back to her attendance at the St. Michael’s Pre-School. Thereafter, Dorival continued her academic journey at the Convent Preparatory School and the Convent High School where she developed an array of interpersonal skills, talents and experience. In 2015, she converted her dream into action and commenced her pursuit of law at the Lead Institute. In 2017, she obtained her CAPE Associate of Arts in Humanities – Law and graduated as the top law student at the institution.

Destined to succeed, one year later Dorival embarked on her biggest step yet. Initially she was not accepted to pursue a law degree at the Cave Hill Campus. However, through her persistence she began studying Politics and Law and later transferred fully into the Faculty of Law. It was there that she unfolded her full potential.

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During her time at UWI, she served as the Secretary of the Dominica Students Association at Cave Hill for the academic year 2019/2020. Subsequently, she served as Constitutional Chairperson of the UWI Debate Society and Vice President of Membership for the UWI Stat Vice Chancellor’s Ambassadors. Of utmost importance, she was elected as the first female and first Dominican Chairperson of the Sir Phillip Sherlock Hall since its inception in 1971.

Moreover, her passion for law extended outside of school settings. In 2020, Dorival co-founded a podcast “The Unmasked 7” with six other law students of the UWI Cave Hill Campus, which focuses on legal and socio-economic issues locally and regionally. More recently, she was appointed as the Official Convener for the Commonwealth of Dominica for the organization, Global Peace. To date, she is the reigning Valedictorian, an unimaginable achievement.

Upon interview with Emonews Ltd., Dorival expressed that she had not envisioned this ending. “It feels surreal. I remember entering Cave Hill in 2018 and seeing other Valedictorians throughout the duration of my studies, and thinking “Wow, that is a remarkable achievement”. Fast forward to a few days ago when I was informed that I was selected for the award, I was left in shock,” she stated. She continued, “Never did I imagine in 2018 that I would become a part of the distinguished cohort of UWI Cave Hill’s Valedictorians. Separately, I also feel immensely grateful to God and happy for my parents who have always supported me along this journey.”

Interestingly, Dorival highlighted that her pursuit of her law studies was not a polished journey. She expressed, “The most noteworthy obstacle I faced throughout my UWI journey was self-doubt. This self-doubt then manifested itself into an anxiety disorder which consequently led to physical health challenges.” She noted that she missed a number of classes to attend doctor appointments. Furthermore, in her final year, she had to undergo surgery which affected her ability to navigate through school effectively. “These health uncertainties coupled with the toll of high performance anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, were the main challenges I faced during my journey,” she voiced. This obstacle has led her to found her own blog, “Dori’s Daily” which seeks to motivate and inspire other persons experiencing life’s challenges.

In addition, Dorival explained that there are numerous persons who have been instrumental in her success. First and foremost, she thanks God wholeheartedly for guiding her through this accomplishment. Furthermore, she expressed gratitude to her support system including her parents Patricia Etienne and Ian Dorival, aunts Zephrine, Jude and Andrea as well as her friends who have become family. She added that she is beyond grateful to the Government of Dominica and the First Caribbean International Bank who provided financial assistance and scholarship opportunities which fueled her along this journey.

Additionally, Ms. Patricia Etienne and Mr. Ian Dorival, parents of the graduate, expressed that this is indeed a proud moment for them and their family by extension. According to Ms. Etienne, “As any parent walking alongside their child, I am extremely proud of Iyka, not only for being named valedictorian but for her drive and passion for learning and always working assiduously to be the top and best in everything she does.” Etienne expressed gratitude to God for his favor and the support system that he has blessed them with. Furthermore, she encouraged parents to make worthwhile sacrifices and investments for their children stating, “regardless of the accolades, they are our legacy”.

Furthermore, Mr. Dorival happily added, “I feel very elated and proud for such an achievement by Iyka.  She took a holistic approach during her time at Cave Hill. It was not studies only as she participated in almost all activities on campus. As a Dad who has been present in every aspect of her life it came with an extra pride and joy.” He encouraged other parents to plan for their children’s education especially financially. He continued, “Another important point is to allow the children to pursue their own passions because this will be the fuel to their success. I also make a special plea to fathers to play an integral part in their children’s lives and not allow the mothers to carry all the burden. This way the entire family can share in the successes.”

Moreover, Ms. Dorival encouraged others to be disciplined in their approach. She made reference to a famous quote by Kenny Dasinger which states, “Being persistent may bring you to the door but consistency is the key which unlocks it.” Now that she has made her mark, Dorival bids Cave Hill Campus goodbye and steers into the future with a hope to refine and develop the leadership and advocacy skills gained throughout her Cave Hill journey and to aid in community development and the destigmatisation of Creative Arts within the region.