UB INsights January - March 2017

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

Table of Contents

ACADEMICS UB Honors 499 Graduates Top Overall Achievers UB’s NRM Program Stakeholder’s Validation Workshop Celebrating Childhood Toledo Campus Holds Open Day Understanding the National Budget Tourism Students to Market Central Farm Micropropagation Laboratory RESEARCH FST Students Assist US Scientists through Research Sea Cucumber Lead Researcher Publishes in Beche-de-mer Students Tag Bonefish PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Learning SPSS through UB’s Math Club Security in Technology UB’s 13th Annual Opportunities Fair CAMPUS LIFE Students Kickoff the Semester UB Family Having Fun Together An Evening Full of Art RLC Celebrates Multiculturism PRESIDENT’S NEWS President Sankat Hits the Ground Running Let’s Build UB Together SPORTS FOR DEVELOPMENT Females Take the Lead in UB Relathon 2017 UB Black Jaguars Clinch Second in La Ruta Maya River Challenge UB Black Jaguars Continue to be ATLIB Football Champions PARTNERSHIPS History and Importance of National Symbols Belmopan Active Youths Visit UB Audio Visual Room for Students Adrian College Students Visit the University of Belize GIVING BACK UB ERI Positively Impacts Belize’s Ecosystems In More Ways Than One PHOTO STORIES Students Celebrate Earth Hour UB Debaters Public Safety Day The Equality Showcase History Students Celebrate National Heroes and Benefactors Day FST Suggestion Boxes

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January-March

ACADEMICS

UB Honors 499 Graduates

A few of the graduates of which 64 per cent were females.

President Alan Slusher delivers his final address as UB President

Hon. Wilfred Elrington was the Keynote Speaker at the Commencement Exercise

he University of Belize honoured 499 Graduates during its February Commencement Exercises which was held on Saturday, 11th February, 2017 at the UB Gymnasium in Belmopan. The keynote address was delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, Honourable Wilfred Elrington.

During the ceremony, students who have distinguished themselves received UB official honour chords. The tri-cable white honour chords recognised those graduating Cum Laude; gold honour chords indicated Magna Cum Laude; and purple honour chords identified Summa Cum Laude graduates. Joanna Heather Monk, Kareem Isaac Daniels, Arcely Cynthia Chee and Syannie Miguelie Cawich were all recognized as the highest achievers for the different faculties at UB. The Board of Trustees, Management, Faculty and Staff of the University of Belize take this opportunity to congratulate our graduates on their achievement, and to extend best wishes to them as they work to become catalysts for change and development in Belize.

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The Graduates received diplomas at the Bachelor’s, Associate’s, and Certificate levels from the Faculties of: Education and Arts-(214); Management and Social Sciences-(160); Science and Technology-(93); and Nursing, Allied Health, and Social Work-(32). Of the total number of graduates 320(64.1%) were females and 179(35.9%) were males.

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

Top Overall Achievers

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Syannie Cawich

Kareem Daniels

oanna Heather Monk was born on December 13, 1976 in London Ontario, Canada to Terry Monk and Michelle MacDonald. She has two sisters: Janice Banner and Jennifer Monk. Joanna attended Westminster Secondary School, in London Ontario Canada and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University. She holds a Master of Forest Conservation from University of Toronto.

Joanna has served as the Technical Coordinator of SATIM, Project Manager of Toledo Development Corporation and is currently at Toledo Community College as the Head of Science Department. Joanna serves as the Chair of the Credit Committee at the Toledo Teachers Credit Union and Vice-President of the Punta Gorda Humane Society. She graduated with a Diploma in Education Methodology with a GPA of 3.84 from the Faculty of Education and Arts. Her interests include travelling, reading and working with animals through the Humane Society.

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areem Isaac Daniels was born on September 16, 1997 to Dean and Elona Daniels in the Dangriga Town, Stann Creek and has one sibling Kadeem Daniels. He graduated from Stann Creek Ecumenical College with honors and passed thirteen CSEC Exams. Kareem graduated from the University of Belize with an Associate Degree in Biology and Chemistry with a GPA of 3.85 from the Faculty of Science and Technology. He is currently enrolled in the Bachelor Biology program at the University of Belize. Kareem enjoys readingespecially books on biology and chemistry-, laboratory work, tutor and mentoring others.

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Arceli Chee

rceli Cynthia Chee was born in Punta Gorda on March 21, 1995 to Gregorio and Cordelia Chee. She has four siblings: Francelia, Lorena, Ronaldo and Raphel and one son: Ayden Denis Coy. She volunteers at various summer camps that seek to assist Primary School children. Arceli completed her high school studies at Claver College Extension with honors.

Employed at Atlantic bank - Customer Service Representative and graduated with an Associate Degrees in Business Sciences from the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences with a GPA of 3.85. She enjoys travelling and listening to music.

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yannie Miguelie Cawich is first child of Miguel and Mirna Cawich. She was born on March 14, 1989 in Belize City and has two younger sisters: Zairie and Giannie. She attended Muffles College High School, Corozal Junior College and enrolled at the University of Belize. Syannie’s friendly, creative and organized personality contributes to her great success. As a teacher, Syannie inspires her students to do their best and participates in various school activities. She participates in a support group called Herbalife 501, which provides support to the needy families around the area. Syannie graduated with Bachelor Degree in Primary Education from the Faculty of Education and Arts with a GPA of 3.85. Her hobbies include exercising and dancing.

January-March

UB’s NRM Program Stakeholder’s Validation Workshop

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aculty members from the Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Marine Biology (MBIO) Programs, along with Dr. Cynthia Thompson, Interim Provost and Ms. Juliane Pasos, FST Dean, met with stakeholders representing 14 government, non-government, and private organizations on Friday February 24th, 2017 at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the proposed 4 year Bachelor in Natural Resource Management Program to key stakeholders in an effort to maintain academic programs relevant to Belize’s needs thereby impacting national development.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Lennox Gladden, Representative from the Minister of State for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry,

the Environment, and Sustainable Development and Climate Change. The session was facilitated

by Dr. Minerva Pinelo, Director of Right Insights, and included presentations by Mr. Ambrose Tillett, Director of Energy within the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology & Public Utilities and Mr. Hero Balani, Manager of Investment Generation, BelizeINVEST, BELTRAIDE. The session also included various plenary sessions whereby NRM/ MBIO faculty worked alongside stakeholder representatives to discuss the proposed program.

Outputs from this session will be used by NRM/ MBIO faculty in the revision of the Natural Resource Management Program as part of the ongoing internal curriculum review process. The University thanks all stakeholders who attended and encourages everyone to become a partner in this movement, “UB da fi all a wi”.

Celebrating Childhood

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arch was Early Childhood Stimulation month under the theme “Positive Play, Positive Minds, Brighter Tomorrow.” The UB Early Childhood Stimulation Center engaged the children in exciting activities throughout the month. Keep it up Baby Black Jaguars!

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

Toledo Campus Holds Open Day

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n March 17, 2017 the UB Toledo Campus hosted its first annual Open Day. The day had three main objectives: to advertise and market the school and its programs, to increase enrollment, community outreach, and to provide our students with access to opportunities and wellness programs throughout the district and beyond. The day condensed three events into one; the marketing of the institution to potential students, along with an Opportunities Fair and Wellness Day all rolled into one. The programs offered at the campus were promoted to future students.

In attendance were five secondary education institutions from Toledo and Stann Creek. Over 40 UB Toledo students and all fulltime faculty volunteered of their time and efforts to create and deliver presentations, as well as assist with the execution of the day’s events. There were 23 community institutions which set up booths

The Recreation and Sports Department was present at the Open Day

to display the products and services available to our current and future students including financial institutions, medical, retail, and various ministries.

We look forward to making next year’s Open Day even better.

Understanding the National Budget

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here was a presentation to the University community on the Government of Belize’s 2017/2018 Budget by Dr. Philip Castillo.

Belize’s financial year starts on April 1 and extends to March 31 of the subsequent year.

Belize anticipates revenues of $1.187 billion dollars. Taxation remains a major source of public revenues, contributing 87% towards this budget.

To bolster its revenues, Government is seeking 10 percent of the revenues of selected statutory bodies. The University of Belize is NOT included in the listing of the statutory bodies to remit monies to Government.

On the expenditure side Government is expected to spend some $1.180 B and this does not include what are considered “off-budget” expenditures such as debt amortization and payments expected in the BTL settlement. When these expenditure items are included, total financing required is $261.5 M. Government expects to finance this shortfall by selling shares in BTL and BEL, assistance from Taiwan, continued drawdown of Petrocaribe financing and a raft of new taxes.

The new taxes include departure tax increases

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Dr. Philip Castillo is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences

for non-Belizeans and increases in excise taxes on a range of products including beer, cement and fuel. Excise taxes were previously payable on domestically produced goods but have been expanded to imports as well. Other taxes include an increase in the Environmental Tax, which is also an additional tax on imports and GST taxes on household electricity bills that exceed $100. The University presentation concluded with a lively question and answer session from the students in attendance.

January-March

Tourism Students to Market Central Farm Micropropagation Laboratory

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he Introduction to Tourism Marketing students, as part of their class assessment, are assisting the Central Farm micropropagation laboratory to market their work.

Dr. Stephen Williams, the lab’s manager, first gained an interest in partnering with our Business students when he visited our faculty’s annual Marketing Expo at the Princess Hotel in Belize City on November 2016. According to Dr. Williams, he was impressed by presentations and marketing skills displayed by the students.

Consequently, he requested the assistance of our marketing students to work with the promotion of UB’s Micro-propagation Lab highlighting its importance to UB and Belize.

This idea sparked an immediate interest. We explored the possibility of having the tourism marketing students incorporate the activities in their class assessment to promote the MicroPropagation Lab at the National Agriculture and Trade Show (NATS).

Here are a few benefits of the micro-propagation lab: • It uses the science of plant tissue culture to propagate plants of importance to Belizean agriculture and horticulture; • It provides students with an opportunity to learn about this important aspect of biotechnology through thesis and internship work.

• It is advancing the use of biotechnology to solve national agricultural problems • It has been established to provide farmers with planting material of a quality not previously available in Belize.

The task for the marketing students is to develop material to promote the idea of the lab at the NATS by developing and creating a need for the product and services of the lab both locally and internationally, through webpage, banners, brochures and flyers for display and distribution.

Students are also responsible to highlight and decorate the booth. Students will be assessed on all activities carried out as a part of their overall course grade

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There is no doubt that this opportunity will allow our students to develop their hands-on skills and knowledge in enhancing and meeting the needs of a viable market in the agricultural world. This awareness will allow them to understand the challenges faced in a highly competitive market.

The Faculty of Management and Social Sciences is grateful to Dr. Stephen Williams and his department for fostering this initiative. We welcome other faculties, to build on their expertise and engage in collaborative efforts to grow our university.

The students visited the lab and learned more about the plants and how to market them

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

RESEARCH

FST Students Assist US Scientists through Research

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he Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), Ms. Julianne Pasos, joins Dr. Abel Carrias in congratulating Raphael Martinez and Mark McNab, students from UB’s Bachelors in Biology and Bachelors in NRM programs respectively, for participating in research work under the supervision of US scientists. Raphael participated in the Coastal Studies Field Course offered in Belize by Marine Biology scientists from the University of North Carolina Wilmington while Mark participated in research work at Carrie Bow Cay Field Station led by Marine Biology scientists from Lamar University.

Raphael participated in an 8-day course at UB’s Calabash Caye Field Station, Turneffe Islands Atoll.

The course focused on the ecology of coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and island geology.

In addition to onsite lectures and field activities, Raphael worked on a research project of his choice in which he did quadrat sampling of red, white and black mangroves as well as of sea grass using MBRS protocols. Of his participation, Raphael had this to say, “It was very educational and fun. It allowed for information exchange through networking, inspired friendship and created bonds amongst participants. An experience you should definitely

seek”. Mark on the other hand participated in a 14-day research project and assisted scientists in a study to test the hypothesis that microbial response to macroalgal dissolved organic matter and temperature facilitates coral loss on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

We take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to our very own Mr. Eden Garcia, PhD candidate at UNC Wilmington and Dr. Matthew Hoch from Lamar University for the opportunities and mentorship provided to our UB students.

Thanks also to Ms. Karen Waight, Ms. Cecy Castillo, Dr. Pio Saqui, Dr. Thippi Thiagarajan and to Dean Juliane Pasos for assisting in one way or the other in making these and other opportunities available to FST students. We also take this opportunity to encourage students to take advantage of similar opportunities that become available at UB and to take time to visit the offices of faculty researchers to explore potential ways of getting involved in research.

The research opportunities provided to these two students is part of FST’s ongoing effort to foster research at UB and to give students the opportunity to practice science through a research mentorship approach.

Sea Cucumber Lead Researcher Publishes in Beche-de-mer

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r. Arlenie Rogers, UB ERI Marine Research Fellow recently published two (2) papers of her ongoing work on sea cucumbers in the Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin, a journal exclusively dedicated to sea cucumbers. Bechede-mer is the French alteration of the Portuguese term for sea cucumber “Bicho-do-mar”. In today’s sea cucumber fishery, “beche-de-mer” means processed sea cucumber.

While travelling Belizean waters in September

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2016, Dr. Rogers and Canadian sea cucumber expert Dr. Jean-Francois Hamel came about a Nicaraguan Miskito fisher who drew attention on the sea cucumber fishery in Nicaragua. Along with Dr. Annie Mercier of the Memorial University of ...Continued on page 9

January-March

Students Tag Bonefish

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handful of students from the Associate Degree in Applied Science in Marine Biology participated in Bonefish tagging from the 18th to 20th March 2017. Nashley Dawson, Tara Scarborough, G’Anne Hume and Galento Galvez, Marine Biology students at the University of Belize (UB), were volunteers in the tagging of sport fish species in a marine conservation project to understand the connectivity of biological behaviour, diet and habitat of these fish species.

These fish species are important in the economic development of the country, mainly the tourism industry.

The UB students assisted Mr. Addiel Perez, a Belizean Ph.D Student at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) in Chetumal, Mexico, doing his thesis research in Mexico and Belize. The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (www.bonefishtarpontrust.org) is supporting this research as it aligns to its mission and hence safeguarding the conservation and protection of the sportfish species in the region.

So far, Addiel has tagged more than 6,000 bonefish and more than 70 permit from Caye Caulker, Belize, to Xcalak, Mexico. He is also closing in on a likely pre-spawning site that might be shared by bonefish from Belize and Mexico.

The students got further exposed to the practical

knowledge of the theoretical courses in the fourth semester of the academic program. They assisted in the capturing and releasing of the fish species in its habitat, obtaining morphological data and learning the purpose of fish tagging. As in the own words of one UB Marine Biology Student: “Doing what I love and loving what I do!...I had fun tagging fish with the crew.”

Read more on Tracking Bonefish in Bonefish in Belize and Mexico: https://www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/blog/201703-13-tracking-bonefish-mexico-and-belize

Sea Cucumber Lead Researcher Publishes in Beche-de-mer Newfoundland they decided to conduct further research and publish about this fishery.

In this paper, Rogers et al. draw our attention to the fishery in Nicaragua that operates under unethical, unsafe and life threatening conditions.

With no alternative, desperate poverty drives fishers to continue fishing, getting decompressed (the bends) while diving for sea cucumbers or dying. Dr. Rogers and team also published a video, Nicaragua Disabled Miskito Sea Cucumber Fisher, to bring this practice to light.

Her second publication as a second author is the result of the BSc Biology thesis by UB student Janel McNab (1st author). This paper looks at the identification of five (5) sea cucumber species by the calcareous spicules (microscopic calcium carbonate structures found in their skin). The results of this paper are critical in identifying sea cucumbers whether dead or alive, especially if they ...Continued from page 9

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Dr. Arlenie Rogers (l) has done extensive research on Sea Cucumbers

have been cooked, chopped or illegally harvested.

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learning SPSS through UB’s Math Club

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To foster informal interaction between students who have a general interest in mathematics in order to increase service and cooperation between students, faculty and the community” is UB’s Math Club’s mission and they are living by it.

On February 1, 2017, the Math Club hosted a presentation by Dr. Sherlene Savery, Chair of the Mathematics, Physics and IT Department on Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS).

The purpose of the presentation was to expose students to the powerful mathematical data analysis software as data analysis is key to any good research. Most UB students engage in research during their time at UB. Students who attended the session by Dr. Savery benefitted greatly and were able to get some hands-on experience. Dr. Savery will be facilitating two additional sessions this semester as one session was insufficient to cover all components involved in efficiently using SPSS. The dates will be announced later.

UB’s Math Club is also organizing a Mathematics Symposium under the theme “Mathematics for Life” on Thursday, April 27th, 2017 at the Jaguar Auditorium at 1:00pm. The purpose is to expose tertiary level students to the importance and relevance of Mathematics in everyday life.

There will be more sessions on SPSS

General activities of the Math Club include Game Nights, Movie Nights, Problem Solving Sessions and Competitions, Math Picnics, Primary and High School visits and more. If you wish to connect with UB’s Math Club and find out more about their upcoming events, find them on Facebook under the name “UB Math Club” or contact Mr. Steven Lewis at solewis@ub.edu.bz. Kindly find below a list of upcoming events hosted by UB’s Math Club: April 5: Movie Day + snacks April 19: Colloquium by Social Security Board April 27: Math Symposium May 3: Party + Slide Show Presentation + Award Ceremony

Security in Technology

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he Math, Physics and Information Technology department in the Faculty of Science and Technology held a seminar on software and security in Information Technology (IT). The seminar entitled Fundamentals of IT Security and Encryption and Fundamentals of Good Software Design was presented by Mr. Richard Johnston on February 21, 2017. Students were able to learn more on the importance of IT security and things to consider in order to implement it.

Mr. Johnston is the Assistant Vice President of UNICON International, an IT consulting firm in Ohio, USA. He holds a Master degree in Computer

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Science and holds over 30 years of experience in all the phases of the Software Development Cycle.

January-March

UB’s 13th Annual Opportunities Fair

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rganized by the Office of Student Services, UB’s 13th Annual Opportunities Fair was held on Thursday February 23rd, 2017 from 10:00am - 1:00pm at the Belmopan Campus under the theme “Opportunities Fair – Making Opportunities Visible at the University of Belize.”

The sixteen participating institutions engaged with current and prospective UB students as they shared insightful information on different educational, financial, and career opportunities available at the Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree levels. the purpose of sharing vital information with the wider UB Community.

Educational information including scholarships, financial aid, study abroad, student exchange, and cultural language exchange opportunities were presented through the Ministry of Education, the Embassy of the United States of America, and the University of Belize’s Department of Recreation and Sports.

Atlantic Bank and The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) shared information on

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financing opportunities available through their institutions. Both Ready Call Center and the Belmopan Active Youth Group’s (BAY) interactive and lively booths gave students a chance to learn more about how to start a career and volunteer within the community, respectively. See more about the work done by BAY and pictures of their booth setup in the upcoming section.

The University of Belize also thanks the Faculty of Science and Technology, its Department of Public Safety, the Belize Defense Force, Ms. Elsa Potter of Preserving Our Heritage, The Insurance Corporation of Belize and Atlantic Insurance, Courts Belize, Santiago Castillo and Grace Kennedy for participating in this year’s fair.

We hope to continue fostering relationships with key institutions in the public and private sectors as we make the UB community aware of the many opportunities available for educational and career advancement.

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

CAMPUS LIFE

Students Kickoff the Semester

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he Student Government of Belmopan Campus held a Semester Kickoff on February 1, 2017. Their main goal was “One goal, one family at the University of Belize where we create a living campus.”

UB Family Having Fun Together

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ver 400 UB Students, and approximately 300 Faculty and Staff members from the Belize City, Punta Gorda, Central Farm and Belmopan Campuses came together on Friday, March 31st at the UB Belmopan Campus to enjoy the second annual “Students, Faculty and Staff” Day organized by UB’s Human Resource Department, The Association of Student Governments (ASG) and the Department of Recreation and Sports.

The day began with a short opening ceremony which included an official welcome by the Chair of UB’s ASG and President of the Belmopan Student Government, Mr. Adonnis McDonald, as well as a brief address by UB President, Prof. Clement Sankat. Prof. Sankat took the opportunity to encourage more gatherings of this type to strengthen the ‘family-bond’ within the UB Community and to stress on the importance of balancing ‘work and play’ time. There was even an impromptu song request by Prof. Sankat to sing

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Bob Marley’s famous song “One Love” together.

Mr. Marion Lambey led the song with his guitar and Mr. Owen Broaster sang to the tune of the guitar. Health & Fitness Coach Mr. Ed Williams was the motivational speaker for the day.

Thereafter, the real fun began! Students, Faculty, and Staff participated in games such as lime and spoon, volleyball, 100 meter race, football, sack race, bull ride and paint ball. Others took time out to relax and get a massage at the Wellness Center or get a manicure and pedicure done by women of the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA).

Surely we are looking forward to next year’s event!

A special thanks goes out to the organizers of the event and to every person who worked at the different game stations, the spa center, distributing food, setting up and/or cleaning up, ladies of YWCA, and those who were in charge of arranging transportation for the UB family.

January-March

An Evening Full of Art

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(l) Valerie displaying her artwork (c) “The Doc” Martinez (r) The Enemy of the People

he Faculty of Education and Arts hosted a successful “Evening of the Arts” where there was exhibition of the different versions of art. The evening started with a visual arts display where the audience appreciated the drawings, painting and artwork of David Anderson, Reeve Bols, Emile Hung, Sheryl Leslie, Kenroy Makin, Valerie Penner, Rudolph Rodriguez, Michael Schweitzer and Rudolph Thompson.

The vocalists, dancers and poets then delighted the audience with captivating performances. The dancers included Tamara Trapp, Dawn Pascasio, Camilla Allen-Barker and Evan Cal. The vocalists

were Serah Lewis; La Shawn Logan; Melody Wagner; Aniki and Lynford Flores, rapping brothers; Monet and Mortimer Enniss, father and daughter duet; and Alida Sharp. Kyraan Gabourel, Margaret Reynolds and Sean Taegar were the poets for the night. Special presentations were also made by violinist Natalia Henderson. Renowned artist and UB alumnus Adrian “The Doc” Martinez also delighted with Garifuna songs accompanied by drummers Keyon Alvarez and Brandon Flowers.

The explosion of talent didn’t stop there as there was a drama teaser performed by (tc)2 Theatre Company entitled “The Enemy of the People.”

RLC Celebrates Multiculturism

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he Regional Language Center (RLC) organised the “RLC Multicultural Fair 2016-2017” on March 24, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The objective of the RLC Multicultural Fair is to create a space for our international students to interact with the UB community, and the students/ teachers from the Primary and Secondary schools from Belmopan.

Through this Fair, our international students

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from Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Myanmar, Panama and Taiwan become ambassadors of their own countries by sharing relevant information about tourism, education, science, technology, literature, culture, health, arts, etc., while practicing their English.

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

PRESIDENT’S NEWS

President Sankat Hits the Ground Running

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rofessor Sankat assumed duties as President of the University of Belize (UB) on February 15th, 2017 .

Prof. Sankat brings to UB and Belize his guiding watchwords as a University Leader - building Relevance, Responsiveness and Reach through capacity and quality development. He believes that the role of the University “must be, as a first priority, to provide much larger numbers of Belizean students from across the country an opportunity for a quality tertiary education, thereby nurturing future leaders for various professions as well as developing thinkers and providing a launch pad for creative and talented entrepreneurs.” He believes that this cadre of youthful nation builders will propel the country’s social and economic prosperity and ensure its sustainable development. “There can be no greater joy and ambition for me than to witness the University of Belize and its graduates, through their intellectual capital and service, contributing

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meaningfully to all facets of the Belizean society” (Professor Clement K. Sankat) During his six weeks as President, Prof. Sankat has visited all campuses throughout Belize and has engaged in multiple active discussions with the students, Deans, faculty and staff to improve the quality of education received at UB. Prof.

Sankat’s new flare and commitment to making UB a student-centered university, where the development and success of its students is of top priority, is already evident through every effort that UB is embarking on.

The “Let’s Build UB Together” Campaign, an initiative under Prof. Sankat, began on April 1st with a university-wide effort to give some of the buildings at the Belmopan Campus a ‘paint-lift.’

Faculty, staff and students volunteered their dayoff to paint the Library building. More details on the “Let’s Build UB Together” Campaign, which will include short and long-term projects at the different UB campuses, will be released soon.

January-March

Let’s Build UB Together

Professor Sankat met with all faculty and staff on his first week

Professor Clement Sankat along with Chair of UB Board of Trustees Mr. Harrison Pilgrim met with Prime Minister of Belize Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow

President Sankat met Ambassador of Republic of China (Taiwan) H.E. Charles Keh-yue Liu

President Sankat met Ambassador of Mexico H.E. Carlos Quesnel

UB President addresses audience at Students, Faculty and Staff Day

He enjoyed the presentations made by international students at UB

President Sankat came out to support Black Jaguars’ Ruta Maya team

President Sankat listens to the concerns of students in Belize City

UB President also spoke with students in Belmopan

President Sankat also visited the Punta Gorda Campus

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

SPORTS FOR DEVELOPMENT

Females Take the Lead in UB Relathon 2017

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he females took the lead by winning their sixth consecutive Relathon breaking the 1818 tie. The race started at 9:00 a.m. with the males starting in San Ignacio Town and the females in Belmopan. ​UB Alumnus Delmi Hernandez ​was for the runner for the females and Dwayne Avila for the males. It was​a​challenging race where both teams tried their best but in the end the females prevailed and arrived at the​UB​Engineering Campus​(ITVET), Belize City​at 3:44 p.m. The males arrived six minutes later.

The best times were clocked by Shanya Garnett and Juan Chavez. Shanya completed her mile in a remarkable 6 minutes and 22 seconds (6:22) while Juan did his one in 4 minutes and 44 (4:44) seconds.

Other notable runners for the females were Delmi Hernandez (6:32), Ansella Rodriguez (7:15), Deedrah Diaz (7:33) and Shaine Castillo (7:33). Jason Barrientos (4:48), Marlon Jones (5:23), Kennion Morerria (5:42) and Terrique Avila (5:49) were the fast runners for the males.

Congratulations to the females including support staff and pacers on the win.

Females are now leading 19-18

The fastest female runners.

UB Black Jaguars Clinch Second in La Ruta Maya River Challenge

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he UB Black Jaguars once again paddled in the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge and placed second in the Intramural Category.

The team gave it their all from the first day where they came in second and they maintained the stamina and didn’t let go of the second place. ​ hey also ranked fourteenth (14th) overall. ​ T The paddlers were Anselmo Rash (Captain), Tariq Palacio and Evaristo Makin. The coaches were Mr. Stanley Humes, Mr. Claude Jones and Mr. Darren Bovell.

President Clement Sankat went to encourage the paddlers at the start of the race in San Ignacio and

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The Black Jaguars arriving at the finish line in Belize City

also congratulated them for their performance in Belize City on Monday.

January-March

UB Black Jaguars Continue to be ATLIB Football Champions

Adapted from William Ysaguirre

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he girls of the University of Belize won the national football championships organized by the Association of TertiaryLevel Institutions in Belize (ATLIB) at the FIFA Goal Project Stadium in Belmopan on Friday and Saturday, March 24-25, 2017.

First, UB Black Jaguars defeated Independence Junior College 2-1. Rosaria Cal scored the two goals, advancing to the finals.

Esther Cal had a blast, scoring hat trick as she led the UB girls in a 9-0 romp over the Northern zone champions, the girls of Centro Escolar México Junior College (CEMJC) in the finals Saturday afternoon. Rosalia Cal scored the first goal in the first 20 minutes of the game. Leanna Aranda scored a second goal four minutes later to lead 2-0 at intermission.

Black Jaguars’ defense anchored by Kendra “Peaches” Gentle, who along with Tiffany Gonzalez, Neriecy Santino and Isolene Bailey held CEMJC scoreless the entire game.

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Esther Cal added a third goal 10 minutes after the break and Deedrah Diaz scored a fourth goal three minutes later. Esther scored her second goal a minute after that, to make it 5-0. Tracy Chi had been creating plays from midfield, but now overlapped forward to score a sixth goal some 14 minutes into the second half, and she added a seventh goal three minutes later. Rosaria Cal scored UB’s eight goal two minutes later and Esther Cal completed her hat trick in the final minute of regulation to complete the 9-0 rout.

The Black Jaguars received their champsion trophy and individual medals. The Most Valuable Player award went to UB midfielder Tracy Chi.

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

PARTNERSHIPS

History and Importance of National Symbols

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n an effort to inculcate the spirit of nationalism and pride in our young Belizeans, the Museum of Belize of the National Institute of Culture and History and the History Department of the University of Belize collaborated on the National Symbols Lecture Series. The lectures were held at the Bliss Center for Performing Arts, Belize City and UB’s Jaguar Auditorium, Belmopan on March 29, 2017. The lecture featured the Coat of Arms and the National Flag. UB History students Charlie Hutchinson, Aitiana Smith, and Dino Guitierrez enlightened the audience with a history on the evolution of the Coat of Arms. It was followed by a video presentation by Mr. Manolo Romero and Mr. Ines Sanchez Sr. on the national flag and its importance. Mr. Romero and Mr. Sanchez were instrumental in the design of the flag in 1981.

The Belize Defence Force made a patriotic demonstration on the protocol for hoisting and lowering the flag. Chair of UB’s Association of Student Governments Mr. Adonnis McDonald

Aitiana, Dino and Charlee presenting on the Coat of Arms

led the audience in the pledge to the flag titled “Tribute to the Belizean Flag” written by UB’s President Emeritus Dr. Corinth Morter-Lewis.

Director of Institute for Social and Cultural Research, Mr. Nigel Encalada, delivered the keynote address on a perspective and history of the featured national symbols.

Belmopan Active Youths Visit UB

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he Belmopan Active Youths (BAY) kept students engaged at UB’s Opportunities Fair as it displayed its various programs including the BAY Marching Band and Dance Group, its Community Park Rehabilitation Program, its sporting initiatives, its Youth Drug Demand Reduction Project, its Job Creation and Entrepreneurship Development Project, and most recently its Literacy for Progress Project. Founded in April 2012 by Mrs. Anna Banner-Guy, its mission is to EDUCATE, ENGAGE and EMPOWER the youths of Belmopan and its surrounding communities. To date, the organization has directly engaged over six hundred young people.

Led by a passionate group of young leaders, the organization continues to utilize and celebrate the potential and talent of youths by bringing their ideas to life, involving them in planning and decision-making, and honing their leadership skills while engendering a spirit of volunteerism.

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Though it is a youth group, BAY has welcomed the assistance and expertise of adult community members who have and continue to participate in the organization’s various programs, as leaders as mentors. This young organization has celebrated many milestones and today continues to leave its imprint by making a difference in Belmopan.

January-March

Audio Visual Room for Students

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he students, faculty and staff at the FMSS campus in Belize City can now enjoy of an upgraded Audio Visual (AV) Room.

Our external partner was DigiCell and our internal partner was the Physical Plant department. The upgrades to the existing AV room included the tiling of the floor, the painting of the walls, the painting of murals, the installation of DigiCell promotional material, the installation of a second white board, the installation of a projector screen, the replacement of glass window louvers, the replacement of the window controllers, the installation of window treatments, in insulation of the windows, the installation of fan controllers, and the replacement of ceiling tiles.

The Management Team of FMSS would like to thank DigiCell for making the project a reality and UB’s Physical Plant Department for their implementation and numerous In-Kind contributions to the project. Thank you!

We look forward to working on phase 2 of the project which will be focused on the securing and installation of audio visual equipment in the form of a ceiling mounted Wi-Fi projector, an intelligent lectern, surround sound speakers, a public address system with wireless microphones, a flat screen 4K TV, and audio and video recording equipment.

We plan to expand this project to include all the conference and classrooms on our campus and assist other campuses, faculties, and the Office of Distance Learning in their modernization initiatives towards online learning and borderless classrooms that inspire students.

The official ceremony took place on Thursday, March 30th at 11:00 a.m. Present was Dean of FMSS Dr. Bernard Watler, Senior Brands and Events Representative of The Belize Telemedia Marketing Department, Mrs. Ellen Borland, and Ms. Briannie Young, Student Government President.

We look forward to our continued partnership with DigiCell.

Adrian College Students Visit the University of Belize

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n Monday, February 27, Professor James Hanley and students from Adrian College in Michigan, were delighted to visit the University of Belize and tour the National Assembly and have dinner with UB lecturers Ms. Francine Sabal and Mr. Joseph Sampson and several UB students. The Adrian Colleges and University of Belize students had good discussions about American and Belizean politics.

The American students also met UB students

2017

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University of Belize INSIGHTS

GIVING BACK

UB ERI Positively Impacts Belize’s Ecosystems In More Ways Than One Education: Young Marine Explorers

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he University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB ERI) aims to promote and foster an appreciation for the ecosystems of Belize through the Young Marine Explorers education and outreach program. With support from the Bertarelli Foundation, the UB ERI has hosted over 300 primary school students from 16 institutions both in rural and urban areas across the Belize, Cayo and Orange Walk district at the Calabash Caye Field Station (CCFS). This program gives students the opportunity to experience the marine and coastal environments of Belize and have first hand encounters with the organisms that live within them. During January and February the Institute hosted a total of 80 students from the San Estevan RC, St. Joseph RC, St. John Vianney

and Guinea Grass Primary School. Through the Young Marine Explorers Program, the UB ERI has another 15 trips scheduled for this Academic Year. We hope that all the students that visit the CCFS walk away as advocates for the sea and their creatures, but we especially hope that they are inspired to become Belize’s future scientists.

Environmental Monitoring: Spawning Aggregations

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ish Spawning Aggregations are important phenomena that are vital to the continuity of fish populations. Different species of fish migrate to localized sites for spawning during specific phases of the moon during particular months of the year. The University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB ERI) annually monitors the spawning of the endangered and fisheries regulated Nassau Grouper within the Maugre Caye Conservation Zone of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve during the months of January and February. The UB ERI Marine team SCUBA dives near dusk down to depths of 100 feet or greater to monitor the abundance and activities of the aggregation. This year, Nassau Grouper were observed in the hundreds, but with size limits and a closed season, we hope to see the population increase in years to come.

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A spawning aggregation is a predictable gathering of adult fishes for the purpose of depositing eggs -marinecsi.org

January-March

PHOTO STORIES

Public Safety Day

Students Celebrate Earth Hour UB Debaters

2017

FST Suggestion Boxes

The Equality Showcase History Students Celebrate National Heroes and Benefactors Day 21

University of Belize INSIGHTS

INsights Magazine Office of Public Information University of Belize Belmopan Central Campus Credits Articles provided by: Eda Arzu, Antonio Cano, Dr. Abel Carrias, Dr. Philip Castillo, Timothy Dami, Jhon Florez, Pia Gregoire, Stanley Humes, Gilroy Middleton Jr., Vicky Novelo, Dr. Stephen Williams, William Ysaguirre and Belmopan Active Youths Photos: Professor Clement Sankat, Pia Gregoire, Stanley Humes, Justine Myvett, Sheena Jackson, Joseph Sampson, William Ysaguirre and Belmopan Active Youths Editor: Vicky Novelo Graphic Design and Layout: Nectaly Vela Contact Information opi@ub.edu.bz +501-822-3680 ext 236/202/223 www.ub.edu.bz

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January-March