PM Urges Graduates of Alma Mater to Pursue Excellence

Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, has urged graduates of her Miami-based alma mater to strive for excellence and to set no limits in pursuit of their goals.
The Prime Minister, who was the guest speaker at the Union Institute and University’s commencement exercise held last Sunday (May 6) at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, told the 70 graduates that they were now equipped with the primary tools of knowledge and self-development, which would empower and enable them to shape a brighter future.
“We were all equipped to be winners each with our different talents, skills and experiences, and we do not have to be stopped by challenges,” she stated.
She said that in pursuit of excellence, they must be guided by purpose and passion and leave a “legacy that would make the world a loving and better place.”
Noting some of the factors contributing to the degradation of the society, Mrs. Simpson Miller told her audience that elevating the qualities of caring and compassion, and pooling positive energies, would create more wholesome communities.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the institution for preparing her to expand her horizons and strengthening her capacity as a leader, and providing other adult students with the opportunity to enrich their knowledge base while pursing their careers goals.
She further shared with the graduates of the university, which caters to adult learners, the joy of embarking on higher education as a mature person, noting that the experience has created a heightened appreciation for the application of knowledge through life’s experiences.
Prior to the graduation ceremony, the Prime Minister was guest at a luncheon in her honour at the same venue.
The Prime Minister holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from the university, in addition to a honorary degree in recognition of her “enduring efforts to improve the quality of life for all Jamaican citizens, regardless of race, class, colour of creed.”