St. John’s Antigua- Six Antiguan students earned degrees at Midwestern State University’s May 2012 Commencement exercises last Saturday.  The six were part of a group of 44 Caribbean students who also walked the stage.

In an eventful weekend for Antiguans, Claudette Peters wowed the crowd of over 400 in the traditional Caribbean Students Organization concert, stealing the spotlight from Jamaican Wayne Wonder.  St Kitts and Nevis ambassador, Jacinth Henry Martin was also on hand.

Carl Christopher earned a master of business administration. He earned a baccalaureate degree two years prior in the same discipline.

Kyle Christian, of Carlisle Estate, was the valedictorian and headliner for the event.  He earned a bachelor of business administration in economics and finance with the distinction of the President’s Medal of Excellence as the top graduate in his college as well as summa cum laude honours.

Kimberly Titus earned top magna cum laude honors and the bachelor of business administration degree in accounting.

Carlisa Otto earned cum laude honors with a bachelor of business administration in finance.

Vaughn Jarvis earned a bachelor of business administration degrees in management information systems.  Kayode Crump earned a bachelor of science in engineering.

Michael Meyer earned a bachelor of business administration in general business.

Keynote speaker, Jacinth Henry-Martin, St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador to the US, urged the graduates to hold on to dreams and believe in miracles. She delivered a positive charge to them to be true to themselves, much to the delight of the attending crowd of over 400 parents, fellow students and well- wishers.

Over 100 Antiguan students have earned degrees from Midwestern since 1995 and fifty-five students are currently enrolled, making it the largest contingent from Antigua in the history of the programme.

Twenty new students from Antigua &Barbuda will be accepted to Midwestern State University in August 2011, and will be part of the over1000 who have been recruited in the 18- year history of the programme.

The Government of Antigua &Barbuda provides support to individual students in the programme, and the prime minister’s initiative goes into effect this fall to further enhance the numbers.