By Hayden McKenna

This is the first of a series of feature articles that will focus on matters of leadership. The series coincides with the recent establishment USC Leadership Academy (USCLA).

Leadership is one of those buzz-words in the jargon of management, governance and political studies that never gets old or goes out of fashion, despite its quality of occasionally being fodder for trite cliché and worse even, spectacular mal-practice. From Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince with its schizophrenic motif of the fox and the lion, to the pessimistic literary offerings of George Orwell in Animal Farm, or William Golding in Lord of the Flies, to the brighter more hopeful contemporary works of a long list of other mostly Caucasian males like Peter Drucker, Sidney Finklestein, John C. Maxwell and Simon Sinek, leadership remains a global preoccupation of the well-read and the ambitious. The narrow cultural immanence in the literature on leadership is obvious to the conscious and critical eye. So too is what is perhaps a misogynistic skepticism about the true potency of feminine leadership, if one reckons it by the loudest voices in the room and among the proclaimed pundits and gurus – pardon the non-western monikers for the experts. The case for a richer democratization and more cultural diversity and gender inclusivity in the epistemology that supports how we learn about, practice, present and represent leadership is not difficult to make. Think deeply about what is commonly accepted and available to you on the subject of leadership and you most likely would agree.

As the University of the Southern Caribbean approaches its centennial, there is, or should be, a collective consciousness that our remarkable progress and our missed opportunities too, cannot be disentangled from our leadership culture and praxis. This claim does not have a selective adhesive that attaches solely to the 2 women and 27 men that have been our Presidents. Good and progressive organizational leadership must percolate to and be fed-back from every capillary and cell of the organizational anatomy if the organs, limbs and systems are to resist atrophy and necrosis. Leadership and conscious leaders exist and must be recognized, equipped and empowered to exist, thrive and multiply throughout the University. The success of the second 100 years depends on it.

On November 10, 2023, the USC Leadership Academy (USCLA) was launched. The keynote address for the opening of the USCLA was delivered by Dr. Leon Wilson, an illustrious alumnus of CUC/USC’s Class of 1974. Dr. Wilson has had a long and distinguished career that has included positions of leadership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where in his native Guyana he served as a Pastor and District Leader, an Associate and full Departmental Director and rose to the position of Executive Secretary of the Guyana Conference. After migrating to the United States, he continued to practice ministerial leadership pro-bono as a volunteer pastor of two churches for almost four years.

As a career academic, Dr. Wilson has served in various leadership roles in several universities in the United States of America, including Wayne State University, East Carolina University, Alabama State University, Tugaloo College and Morgan State University. His varied roles have included positions as Teaching Faculty, Departmental Chairperson, Vice Presidencies in several portfolios, Provostships, and an Interim Presidency. Dr. Wilson also has the permanent distinction of being the first person to be designated as Provost of the University of the Southern Caribbean. Dr. Wilson has also served on several committees and boards and was President of the North America Alumni Association of the University of the Southern Caribbean for three years. In his own words, he carries a “heavy bag of leadership experiences.”

I recently had the privilege of having an extensive conversation with Dr. Wilson on matters of leadership. We explored leadership in the field of academics, in the church, in Caribbean society and how its practice continues to evolve in the face of 21st century needs and challenges.

Good leadership for Dr Wilson, “inspires people, good leadership encourages followship, good leadership is also being a follower… Good leadership develops others…if you are simply leading, at some point what happens is when you are gone the influence disappears. A good leader is a person who develops a legacy. That legacy involves moving people along and making them better than when you found them…The legacy of good leadership is that there are people who can carry on what you have started but more so, they innovate because you have taught them to do that.”

In recalling his preparation for leadership, Dr. Wilson hailed the example of leadership displayed by his mother and aunt in his formative years. His mother was up to the challenge of managing what he described as a household of “plenty boys, one girl and grandfather”. Later in his childhood, he lived with an aunt who served as a midwife for an expansive district in Guyana, in an age in the Caribbean where the rite of ‘cutting the navel-string’ was a very highly esteemed badge of honour. Dr. Wilson said that observing how these two women managed their responsibilities, offered him early preparation for his future role as a leader.

Church work was another valuable source of Dr. Wilson’s personal preparation for leadership. For Dr. Wilson, some of the lessons learnt and skills honed as a young Pastor, Director and Administrator in the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, were valuable and transferable to other challenging leadership contexts he encountered in his accomplished academic leadership career.

Important too in building his leadership aptitude and confidence was his fortune of having good mentors. As a young post-graduate student at Andrews University in Berrien Springs Michigan, USA, he came under the influence of Dr. Sakae Kubo and Dr. Walter Douglas. The latter – perhaps because of his Grenadian Caribbean heritage and iconic CTC/CUC/USC status as one of our most distinguished alumni, Dr. Wilson fondly referred to as “our man there” and said, “We watched him operate in an environment where he was very singular as a black person…We learnt a lot from him. The way he related to people inspired me. The way he conducted his classes, built leadership capacity… He was a champion in his own right and a good example to many of us younger people.”

Dr. Wilson also recalls that when he was elected as Executive Secretary of the Guyana Conference in the early 1980s, he was one of the youngest Conference Administrators in the world church. He considers the mentorship he received from seasoned Administrators like Pastors Samuel L. Gadsby and Peter J. Prime of Trinidad and Tobago, and his own Conference President, Pastor Gordon O. Martinborough as invaluable.

Receiving and offering mentorship is in Dr. Wilson’s view, an important aspect of the preparation for and practice of leadership. Dr. Wilson himself has been an inspirational mentor to many.

As a leader in academia, his passion to develop people has also made him a reagent in advancing the careers of many who he has served as leader. His collegial approach intentionally emphasises the value of people and the ideas and contributions can bring to the table when rightly exposed. His fidelity to valuing people, their ideas and their contributions even extends to when their views are at variance with his own. This orientation has allowed him to cultivate other successful leaders everywhere he has been.

Dr. Leon Wilson is persuaded that leaders in academia and elsewhere, blunder badly when they see themselves as bosses and suppressors of dissenting views. Academic leadership for Dr. Wilson is a position of privilege and not of power. “People who last, are not bosses” he says. Leaders should be humble enough to concede that they do not have to have all of the answers all of the time and they are not omnicompetent. Leaders must recognize their limitations. They are not gods. They must practice sincerity and be willing to admit responsibility when things do not turn out the way they are supposed to.
The perspective of the led and how they are evaluating the journey, is valued by the good leader, even when it is not pleasing to the ear. Good leaders are great listeners. For Dr. Wilson the great leader “intentionally orchestrates involvement” and is not intimidated by the sight, sound or smell of talent, abilities and expertise in others.

Dr. Wilson contends that leadership acumen in academia, is best developed through incremental climbing as opposed to leap-frogging. Leap-froggers are robbed of valuable learning experiences on their way up. They are typically impoverished of quality opportunities to build relationships and empathy with others they are responsible for. Leap-froggers often fall prey to insecurities when confronted with criticism and even constructive ideas, coming especially from persons they jumped over in their sudden flight. This insecurity sometimes manifests itself in rank-pulling. Academic institutions best develop leaders, by rewarding contributors with a path to incremental climbing.

For persons aspiring to be leaders, Dr. Wilson warns that being overly critical of their present leaders probably will not abet their ambitions well. Careful to draw a distinction between helpful critiquing and being unhelpfully critical, Dr. Wilson said “if you aspire to leadership, my counsel is always to take the best that everybody can give and create your own mosaic. There is nothing like a perfect leader”.

With respect to the challenges faced by higher educational institutions – particularly private Seventh-day Adventist institutions (like USC) in the so-called developing world), challenges that seem to have escalated in the wake of the COVID -19 pandemic and its aftermath, Dr. Wilson candidly argues that our present model requires re-examination and renovation. He expressed that if our church sincerely values all of the counsel of Ellen G. White on the matter of education, then the oft-repeated statement that “the work of redemption and education are one”, should trigger a sea-change in the way our church distributes its finite financial resources so that Mrs. White’s good counsel and the equivalency there embedded is truer than mere rhetorical elegance.

On the matter of the struggles our church is having with attracting and conserving young people and the leadership issues that arise therefrom, Dr. Wilson agrees that some of our approaches require change. A better theological balance needs to be struck between our sermonic preoccupation with apologetics on the one hand and contemporary pragmatism on the other. Greater attention is needed to addressing the needs of our young people in ways that connect organically and meaningfully with their present circumstances. He says that “a lot of our pastors do not recognize the time in which we are living” and argues that “there has to be a change in the leadership profile of the pastors”. Referencing Jeremiah 6:16 and its counsel to look for the old paths and walk therein, he opined that this passage and others like it, might be a possible basis for some pastors resisting the urgency to minister to our young people in the context of their time, Dr. Wilson says that he is giving mental attention to the traditionalist hermeneutic around such passages of scripture that may stand in the way of greater pragmatic perspicacity in how our church ministers to our endangered youthful population. Scripture also enjoins us to knowing the times he argues and a balanced blend of searching the old paths with knowing the times can result in “ministry that speaks to everybody”.

Our conversation then turned to the question of leadership in our post-colonial Caribbean reality. Most of what academic literature presents about leadership, is based on a quite narrow stream of knowledge that comes primarily from research and writing done in the United States of America and the United Kingdom over the last 120 years. In many ways our cultural realities in the region are quite different from those of the US and the UK. Short of a re-invention of the wheel, there is room for more indigenous epistemology, research and approaches to leadership, rooted in our unique historical and cultural contexts. For Dr. Wilson, an inversion of the plantation pyramid inherited from our colonial past is necessary. The master-servant binary which still influences how we view and practice leadership is a stubborn obstacle to our progress. According to Dr. Wilson, “We were trampled. We were nobodies… The leadership we have been exposed to is a model where there is some big-shot up there that we look up to… It’s a model that is top-down. It’s a model that everything flows from somewhere on-high and rains down on the lower mortals. You need to invert that concept.”

Dr. Wilson, the Sociologist, argues that we need – now that we have the opportunity – to craft leadership approaches that better serve our collective good. The urgency of doing so, found cogent inflection in two rhetorical questions he posed: “Who is getting the bigger share of the oil in Guyana? Who is getting the biggest share of the oil (resources) anywhere in the Caribbean?”

On the highly topical matter of some of the unique challenges confronting 21st century human civilization, such as the rapid growth of AI, a gilded democratization of the power to publish and consume content in cyberspace (accompanied by the conspicuously undemocratic control of ICT by huge, rich trans-national private entities), the planned obsolescence of the universe in the service of the metaverse and multiverse and the inability of philosophers and ethicists to keep up with it all, Dr. Wilson, while conceding the redoubtable threats, prefers to focus on the wealth of opportunities. He argues that our young people – as natives of this age must be entrusted with greater leadership responsibilities to help us navigate through these dizzying times and find the answers we need, if we are not to be left behind. On this matter he expressed a special concern for our church institutions and their capacity and will to rightly harness the leadership value our young people can bring – especially now.

Finally on the matter of the establishment of the USC leadership Academy (USCLA), Dr. Wilson thinks that “it is a fantastic idea”. He expressed that the USCLA will help to grow talent internally. It will help to keep good people employed at USC and in the region. Young people can now see a path to rising to top positions of leadership at the University without necessarily leaving the institution and the region in search of opportunities for personal and career growth. “I believe it is a very very good step in the right direction… The Leadership Academy is a good thing. I hope it is sustained …and we get some solid leaders out of it”.

Stay tuned for part two of our series – Leadership matters!

By Kadan Esson, Nadira Mohammed 

On Friday, November 10, 2023, the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) launched its Leadership Academy (USCLA) with the tagline “Leadership Matters”. This initiative is set to reshape the future of leadership within our beloved USC and resonate far beyond.

USCLA’s inaugural session kicked off with welcoming remarks from USC’s Director of Human Resources, Mrs. Marsha Harris, and President, Dr. Colwick Wilson. Dr. Wilson closed with words of empowerment by commending all the student leaders who carry the mantle of perseverance and applauding their passionate drive.

The launch’s keynote speaker was quite a familiar face to the USC community, Dr. Leon Wilson, Professor and Chair, Morgan State University, formerly served USC as Provost in 2018. Dr. Wilson’s keynote topic of “So You Want To Be An Academic Leader! Why Bother!” captivated the audience as he shared insights from his impressive academic career on what not to do as an academic leader.

Dr. Wilson shared that, “The value of academic leaders lies in the recognition of unique contributions each one can make, celebrate, and avoid shutting it down but letting it flourish and grow.” He stated that one of the world’s biggest problems is that there are people who do not harbor the skills and have not been exposed to anything but themselves, yet want to be leaders in the academy and leap to the top while ignoring the values of experiences. He left us with a reminder that “Leadership is centered on the idea of building and maintaining relationships.”

Specially invited guest, Mr. Dexter Riley, CEO of Unipet and USC alum shared observations and anecdotes from his decades of leadership that provided motivation and inspiration to USCLA attendees.

Drawing from his personal life, Mr. Riley described himself as a family oriented man who continues to be guided by values instilled by his mother. Referencing the story of Noah and the Ark, Mr. Riley highlighted the value of trust, planning, preparation, and building for the future. Mr. Riley attributed trust as the bedrock that kept UNIPET together, he further expanded that, “…leadership is not about being in charge but taking care of those in your charge.”

About USCLA
USCLA is designed to foster the growth of ethical, visionary, and transformational leaders from all backgrounds who can make a positive impact at the University and by extension society. USCLA aims at targeting Administrators, Deans, Chairs, Directors, and Coordinators who are pivotal to USC’s success. It seeks to inspire, educate, and empower individuals to become ethical, visionary, and transformational leaders. USCLA combines theoretical foundations with experiential learning to ensure that participants not only acquire knowledge but also develop the skills and attitudes necessary for effective leadership; that align with the university’s mission, vision and overarching objectives.

USCLA’s Mission and Objectives
USCLA’s mission is to inspire, educate, and empower individuals to become leaders driving positive change. We envision leaders guided by integrity, empathy, and commitment, leading with purpose, inspiring innovation, and fostering sustainable progress.

The academy seeks to upskill leaders through comprehensive training, provide real-world experiences, and foster a culture of ethical leadership. Our goal is to cultivate leaders embodying the highest standards of excellence, representing principles like authenticity, continuous learning, collaboration, and more.

With a mix of local and foreign facilitators/practitioners boasting extensive leadership experience, USCLA promises an enriching learning journey. Our diverse training programs cover Leadership Essentials, Organizational Impact, Development, Relational Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and more. Tailored to address various leadership facets, these programs aim to enhance USC’s leadership potential.

USCLA is not just an academy; it’s a commitment to shaping leaders who will inspire, innovate, and drive progress. Leadership matters, and at USC, we’re investing in ours.

By Nadira Mohammed, Corporate Communications Intern

In a ceremony held at the Social Sciences Auditorium on USC’s Main Campus, the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) inaugurated its 2023/2024 Associated Student Body (ASB) Executive on Monday, October 16, 2023. Under the theme of “Willing to Serve Beyond the Call of Duty,” these dedicated student leaders pledged to make a difference in the USC community.

The inauguration event commenced with a soul-stirring praise and worship set by I-Praise Ministries, creating a harmonious atmosphere filled with inspiration. The ceremony then took on a solemn note as Mrs. Julie-Ann Guy delivered the opening prayer, calling upon a spirit of unity and purpose for the ASB Executive and the USC community.

As anticipation filled the auditorium, the new ASB members were invited to the stage in reverse order of their positions as per their respective constituents, marking the beginning of their journey to serve beyond the call of duty.

The National Anthem of Trinidad and Tobago, beautifully played on the steelpan by Mr. Marc Anthony Burrows Jr., further added a sense of national pride to the event. Following this, Pastor Onesi La Fleur, USC’s Vice President of Student Services & Enrolment Management, addressed the audience, emphasizing the commitment of the ASB Executive to serve the USC community wholeheartedly.

An enchanting musical performance by Ms. Jewelle Cordice enthralled the audience and set the stage for the highly anticipated guest speaker, Dr. Barbara G. Reynolds, USC’s Vice President of Administration, Advancement, and Planning.

Dr. Reynolds delivered an engaging and thought-provoking speech that left a lasting impression on all in attendance. She quoted the well-known proverb, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito,” and drew a parallel between the essential role of mosquitoes in an ecosystem and the significance of the ASB Executive in the USC community. Dr. Reynolds emphasized that just as mosquitoes, despite their size, are vital to the ecosystem, the ASB plays a crucial role in maintaining the university’s vibrancy and unity.

Continuing with her theme, Dr. Reynolds shared another proverb, “Even if the mosquito has nothing to boast of, it has got a voice for humming songs.” This proverb underscored the unique talents and voices that each ASB member brings to the USC community.

Dr. Reynolds concluded her address with, “Do not be like the mosquito and bite the owner of the house”, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a respectful and cooperative relationship between the ASB Executive and University Administration. Dr. Reynolds’s speech conveyed the critical role of the ASB Executive in maintaining the university’s health and vibrancy.

Following the outstanding speech by Dr. Reynolds, the ASB members were invited to stand, and Dr. Wilson was called upon to give the inaugural charge. In his address, Dr. Wilson emphasized the significance of responsible and ethical leadership, stating, “Leaders don’t abuse power, leaders don’t hide their personal desires behind the mask of leadership.” This charge reiterated USC’s commitment to nurturing principled leaders who lead by example.

The event concluded with Mr. Michael Gabriel delivering the vote of thanks and Mr. Gamir Malcolm offering a prayer of consecration. Both reflected the unity and shared commitment among the ASB Executive, USC administration, and the entire university community.

The 2023/2024 ASB Executive at the University of the Southern Caribbean has embarked on its mission to serve beyond the call of duty, fostering a spirit of unity, commitment, and responsible leadership. These dedicated student leaders, elected by their peers in an election held in April 2023, are set to make a positive impact on the USC community, maintaining the institution’s vibrancy and commitment to excellence in the academic year ahead.

By Nykhya Gardiner, Corporate Communications Intern

The University of the Southern Caribbean’s Timothy Greaves Residence Hall, male dormitory and home to USC’s Noble Spartans, celebrated a momentous event that epitomizes compassion, unity, and progress. In a heartwarming ceremony attended by esteemed university officials, dignitaries on Monday, October 16th, 2023, the Timothy Greaves Residence Hall proudly unveiled its newly established pantry and renovated kitchen.

The brainchild of an innovative vision set in motion by past Men and Ladies’ Club presidents, Keston Jacobs and Sherniah Carbon, the initiative to introduce a pantry received unwavering support from Mr. Delbert Defoe, Men’s Club President 2022/2023. Mr. Defoe, in collaboration with ASB President 2022/2023, Mr. Vayani Toney, and the dedicated Dean of the Timothy Greaves Hall, Mr. Dominic Merritt, successfully realized this visionary project. The new kitchen renovation, aimed at enhancing the students’ dining experience, was initially conceptualized by Mr. Vayani Toney during his tenure as ASB President.

The evening ceremony commenced with a heartfelt devotional speech delivered by Pastor Randy Dixon, who emphasized the “goodness of God,” drawing inspiration from Psalms 34:8, and encouraged attendees to reciprocate love in a tangible way. The program continued with a soulful performance by Ms. Shauntae Price, who serenaded the audience with the song ‘His Strength Is Perfect.’ Following this, all eyes and ears turned to Dr. Colwick Wilson, USC’s President, who expressed his immense pride in the innovative initiatives taking shape at the Timothy Greaves Residence Hall. Dr. Wilson also announced the Food Sufficiency Program, which pledged a generous donation of $500.00 each to the pantries at the Ladies Residence Hall and the Timothy Greaves Residence Hall.

As the evening progressed, Mr. Jad Isidore, newly inaugurated Men’s Club President (2023/2024) extended his gratitude to Dean Dominic Merritt, recognizing his tireless efforts in making these initiatives a reality. He also expressed appreciation for the unwavering support from key figures such as Dr. Wilson, Dr. Len Archer, Provost; and Pastor Onesi La Fleur, Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment. Mr. Isidore took a moment to virtually recognize his predecessor, Mr. Delbert Defoe, for his role in igniting the project.

Mr. Defoe, reflecting on the journey of the pantry’s creation, humorously quipped, “I am excited that the pantry has finally opened. It has been ‘in the works’ since 2021 with the ASB of that time. Today, the men of the Timothy Greaves [Residence Hall] can appreciate that their chances of ‘passing away’ from lack of food and clothing while on dorm are slimmer.” He also acknowledged the generous contributions from donors, the unwavering support from the men’s Dean, and the dedication of the 2022/2023 ASB Executive.

Pastor La Fleur emphasized the importance of ‘Growing, Improving, and Developing,’ mentioning an upcoming re-enrollment of dorm students in mid-November, which will further enhance the efficiency of various initiatives. Attendees were then taken on a tour to witness the new facilities being celebrated.

The first stop on the tour was the renovated kitchen, which now boasts two new stoves, two microwaves, a refrigerator, and modernized counter and sinks. During this segment, Mr. Toney spoke about the challenges he and Mr. Defoe faced in securing the funds for this transformation. The tour continued with a pledge by Mr. Juhmaul Belfon, a prayer of dedication by Pastor Terry John, Vice President for Spiritual Development and University Pastor; and an insightful speech by Mr. Kerilius Leslie, who referred to his marriage series, “Outside Looking In,” to inspire the students to care for and tend to their new kitchen.

Finally, the tour culminated at the pantry, which was stocked with a wide variety of food items, neatly organized into categories such as dried foods, milk, cereals, macaroni, tuna, veggies, soup, beans, corn, ketchup, snacks, and toiletries, including soaps, detergents, and toothpaste. In addition to food supplies, the pantry also featured a clothing center with shirts, ties, belts, and more.

This initiative has many donors some of which are Diamond Small, Leon Leslie, Durey Arthur, Kerilius Leslie, Donna Headley, Stephen Christopher, Lyndon Antoine, Claudine Allert, Bert Gittens, Pastor Davin Scarborough, Dr. Rosie Ward, Dr. Cynthia Ward & the Golden Girls, Pastor Randy Dixon and his Pastoral Districts of Tunapuna and Tacarigua.

The success of the kitchen and pantry initiatives marks a significant step towards making Timothy Greaves Residence Hall a better place for both current and future residents. The Noble Spartans are overwhelmed by the tremendous support they have received from donors, alumni, faculty, and fellow students, both within and outside the university.

In closing, Mr. Jad Isidore reiterated his gratitude, saying, “We are grateful for the support we have received and eagerly anticipate a promising future for the Noble Spartans of Timothy Greaves Hall.” This initiative serves as a beacon of hope, unity, and progress for the University of the Southern Caribbean community, highlighting their dedication to the welfare and well-being of their students.