Standing before a handful of faculty and staff on Monday at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Professor Emeritus Arthur Richardson recounted the school’s history.
“On Jan. 14, 1990, the British Virgin Islands Community College held its opening ceremony at the Omar Hodge Building in Road Town,” Mr. Richardson said during a press conference held in the college’s Learning Resource Centre. “The next day, classes began.”
Thirty-five years later, HLSCC is celebrating its anniversary on a campus that didn’t exist in 1990 but that today hosts about 700 students under the leadership of the school’s sixth president, Richard Georges.
Mr. Georges, who said he is the first alumnus president in the school’s history, kicked off HLSCC’s year of celebration at the press conference along with Mr. Richardson, Communications and Public Relations Manager Bria Smith, and Director of Institutional Advancement Yvonne Crabbe.
“As we celebrate this milestone and our recognition of our past, we also look towards the future,” Mr. Georges said. “In order to continue this legacy of excellence, and to embrace innovation, we are embarking on a review of our offerings in order to meet the challenges and opportunities that face us in the 21st Century.”
Those offerings, he said, include not just the degrees and professional certificates the college offers, but expanding private partnerships as well.
Also announced were the school’s plans to construct a 25-metre swimming pool on the north campus as part of a larger sports and recreation facility.
“These projects and initiatives represent not only our vision for the college, but also a tangible opportunity for you to invest in its success,” Ms. Crabbe said.
Year of activities
HLSCC isn’t just celebrating 35 years as an institution, Ms. Crabbe added: The school is also celebrating its 10th anniversary of being accredited by the United States-based Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It is the only non-US community college to hold that honour.
“Accreditation reflects our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and institutional growth, and we are excited to recognise this accomplishment throughout the year,” she said.
To honour the college’s accomplishments and to inspire future successes, 2025 will be filled with “a wide array of events and initiatives,” according to Ms. Crabbe.
British Caribbean News