Josian Sebastien from the community of Bense has graduated from the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Guantánamo on July 20, 2019, with the title of Mejor Graduado de Otra Nacionalidad (Best Graduating Foreign Student /Foreign Valedictorian.
Sebastien also received the title of Estudiante Integral(Most Integrated Foreign Student). This award is not only based on having a grade point average of
She received a scholarship to pursue medicine in Cuba. She says, “It was not easy. There were difficulties with the language, personal problems, financial problems and so on. In 2013, when I came back home I was ready to give up but my grandmother who passed away in 2015 was my biggest motivator and she pushed me to continue. I returned to school in 2014 and from there, decided to put my best foot forward in honor of my grandmom. The years after her death in 2015, were the years, I studied and pushed myself the hardest. That’s one of the reasons I am dedicating my medical degree to her”.
In her speech, Josian said, “A title is only ink on paper, our education is demonstrated by our behavior and the way we treat other people, no matter their race, sex, rich or poor, no matter their educational or cultural background or whether they have piercings or tattoos. We need to treat people with respect, love kindness, humility, and compassion. And whatever we do, try to do it to the best of our ability. Remember, nothing in life comes easy. If you really want something, you have to fight for it.”
Josian said that is exactly what she did, fight to achieve her goals with distinction. She expressed thanks to
Josian desires to return to her beautiful country and start working as soon as possible, to give back to her people. She may also further her education in a few years. Emonews congratulates Josian on a job well done.
