After 21 years of service, Drs Susan and David Chand leave USC to continue their educational ministry in the Philippines.
More than two decades ago, Drs. Susan and David Chand arrived at the University of the Southern Caribbean with knowledge to share, faith to guide them, and perhaps little idea of just how many lives they would touch. Their story, however, began thousands of miles away in India, where two young science students were pursuing their own academic paths. In time, those individual journeys became one shared mission; using education not simply to transfer knowledge, but to transform lives.
Now, after more than 21 years of service to USC, the Chands are preparing for a new chapter at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in the Philippines. Their departure marks the end of an important chapter for the university, but the influence of their teaching, mentorship, research, ministry, and personal investment in students will remain part of the USC story for years to come.
A Journey That Began With Science and Led to Understanding People
Dr. Susan Chand’s academic journey began in 1981 when, at only 16 years old, she left home to pursue her undergraduate studies at what was then Spicer Memorial College in India. Her original plan was rooted in science. With a passion for the natural world, she chose to major in botany with a minor in mathematics, hoping to become a botanical scientist.
“My parents wanted me to be a medical doctor,” she recalls. “I said, I’m not going to medical school. I’ll go to Spicer College. That’s an Adventist university, and I want to get my education in an Adventist institution.”
Her decision reflected more than an academic preference. It reflected a desire to grow within an environment where faith and education existed together. However, as her academic journey progressed, her path shifted in an unexpected direction. When it was time to pursue her master’s degree, one of the available opportunities was anthropology, a field she knew little about at the time.
“I had no idea what anthropology was about,” she shares.
Encouraged by her professor, who recognized the connection between science and the study of human societies, she decided to take the opportunity. What began as an unfamiliar field soon became a passion.
“I loved it because it had to do with people, the culture, understanding the behavior, the way of life, and the cultural diversities in culture.”
That decision would shape the rest of her career. After completing her master’s degree, Dr. Chand received a scholarship from the Government of India to pursue doctoral studies in medical anthropology. Her doctoral research focused on the cultural explanations surrounding leprosy and the experiences of individuals who had been isolated and stigmatized because of the disease. She studied the efforts made to reintegrate affected individuals into their communities and challenge misconceptions surrounding the condition.
“I documented the change processes to bring the marginalized people back into the community,” she explains.
Today, she hopes that the model developed through her research can continue helping individuals experiencing mental illness and other stigmatized conditions.
“I want to publish the change models that can apply to people with mental illness and stigmatized conditions, so this model will be helpful to bring them back into the mainstream of the community.”
For Dr. Chand, research has always been connected to compassion, understanding people not simply through statistics or theories, but through their lived experiences.
A Calling Found Through Education
Dr. David Chand’s journey also began with a foundation in science. After studying botany with a minor in agriculture at Spicer University, he continued his academic journey through anthropology before pursuing another master’s degree in curriculum and instruction through Andrews University. His academic background allowed him to merge two passions: science and education. After completing his doctoral studies in curriculum and instruction at Northern Caribbean University, Dr. Chand focused his research on the pedagogical beliefs of biology teachers in high-performing secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. His work explored how educators viewed teaching, their students, their schools, and the role of administration in the learning environment. Although his academic achievements are significant, Dr. Chand describes his greatest joy as being found in the classroom.
“I have enjoyed my role as a lecturer, and that’s the most I enjoy,” he shares.
For him, education was never limited to delivering lessons or completing course objectives. It was about building relationships.
“Being an educator is not just going there and teaching, but involving yourself with the students,” he explains. “It’s a teaching and learning experience. We teach them, we learn from them, and then we forge ahead.”
That philosophy became the foundation of his ministry at USC, one where teaching, mentoring, and spiritual guidance existed together.
More Than Lecturers: Mentors Who Invested in Lives
Throughout their years at USC, Dr. Susan Chand and Dr. David Chand embraced education as a holistic experience. Dr. Susan Chand’s approach to education has always centered on preparing students not only academically, but also personally and spiritually..
“We take up a multiple role in addition to being an educator,” she says. “We are mentors, we are advisors, we also pray with them.”
She believes that true education equips students to face the realities of life beyond university.
“Being an educator is shaping the lives of our students holistically so that when they go into the place of work, they will have the skills to handle the pressures or to be able to navigate their lives.”
Beyond the classroom, both educators became involved in research, presentations, community outreach, and ministry throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Their influence extended beyond course material. They became people students could turn to for guidance, encouragement, and support.
The Greatest Achievement: The Students They Leave Behind
When asked what they were most proud of accomplishing during their time at USC, neither Dr. Chand nor Dr. Chand mentioned personal achievements first.
Their answer was the same: their students.
“I’m proud of my students,” Dr. Susan Chand says. “That’s the biggest reward I can see.”
Since joining USC in 2005, she has watched students grow from young university students into professionals making meaningful contributions in their fields.
“Today, they are accomplished people. They have done their PhDs. They are also serving in higher positions.”
Dr. David Chand shared the same sentiment, reflecting on students who studied education and later became teachers themselves.
“It is such a joy to see the students who were there. They are teaching at the secondary school level and the primary school level.”
Seeing former students continue the work of education has been one of his greatest rewards.
“I see them taking up the work that I’m doing and ministering to the children in the classroom and outside of the classroom as well.”
A Legacy Built on Faith
Throughout their journey, faith has remained the foundation of both educators’ lives.
When asked what message they wanted to leave with USC students and staff, Dr. Susan Chand reflected on the words of Micah 6:8 – a passage that has guided her throughout her life.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you?” she shares. “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the Lord.”
Throughout her journey, Dr. Chand has viewed success through the lens of humility and dedication to God.
“Whatever you are, wherever you are in high positions or whatever accomplishments you do, just walk humbly with the Lord and build that relationship with Him.”
Dr. David Chand encouraged students and colleagues to continue pursuing excellence while remaining grounded in faith.
“The message that I would like to give to all my colleagues and students is to pursue the highest education within Christian institutions and to live a life fully committed to Him.”
Answering the Next Call
Although leaving USC carries moments of sadness, Dr. Susan Chand describes their journey as one guided by faith from the beginning. When they first came to Trinidad and Tobago, they did not know exactly where they were going.
“They asked, ‘Where in the world are you going?’” she recalls. “And that was a good question because Trinidad was a drop on the map.”
Eventually, that small island became home. Over the years, they experienced the warmth of the people, the support of the church, and the community they found at USC.
“We are taking that love with us,” she says. “The love that USC gave us, the church gave us, people in Trinidad and Tobago, whoever we interacted with.”
Now, after more than two decades of service, another call has come. Dr. Susan Chand has accepted a position as Vice President for Academic Administration at AIIAS in the Philippines, where she and Dr. David Chand will continue serving within the Adventist educational system. The opportunity arrived unexpectedly when Dr. Chand received a call from the institution’s president.
“When she said it was for the vice president of academic administration, I was nervous,” she admits. “But I said, ‘If the Lord is calling me, I said yes.’”
As they look toward the future, Dr. Susan Chand and Dr. David Chand continue to move forward with the same faith that has guided their journey from the beginning.
“We committed ourselves to the Lord: wherever You want to take us next, we are willing.”
A Legacy Written in Lives
The story of Dr. Susan Chand and Dr. David Chand is not only about two educators leaving behind a university community. It is about two individuals who dedicated their lives to answering a call. From their beginnings as science students in India to their years of service at USC, their journey has been marked by curiosity, compassion, humility, and faith. Their greatest achievements cannot be found only in their degrees, research, or academic positions. Their greatest achievements are the students who carry their lessons forward, the educators they have inspired, and the communities they have served. As they begin this next chapter, Dr. Susan Chand and Dr. David Chand leave USC with gratitude for the years behind them and faith for the road ahead. Their time at USC may be coming to a close, but the legacy of their service will continue through every student they have taught, encouraged, and inspired.
Photography by: Israel Ramdawar, Student Photographer.
