Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Twins credit late mom for degree success

Published:Wednesday | November 20, 2019 | 12:17 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Shanece Roberts-Morgan (left) and twin sister Shannoya Roberts celebrate after the Caribbean Maritime University’s 39th graduation ceremony at the National Indoor Sports Centre last Friday.
Shanece Roberts-Morgan (left) and twin sister Shannoya Roberts celebrate after the Caribbean Maritime University’s 39th graduation ceremony at the National Indoor Sports Centre last Friday.

As her name was called, right before her twin sister’s, Shannoya Roberts cast a longing look across the audience, hoping that she would have seen her mother cheering them on rapturously.

But as she and her sister, Shanece Roberts-Morgan, glided on to the stage at last Friday’s graduation exercise of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), held at the National Indoor Sports Centre, their achievement of bachelor’s degrees in ­shipping and logistics was bittersweet.

Their number one fan, mother Cheryl Manning-Givans, did not survive ovarian cancer to give them the ultimate round of applause.

“Mommy was in the front of my mind when my name was called to go up for the degree. There was no doubt. We both thought about her and what it would have meant seeing her seated in the crowd, if that was possible,” said the elder of the twins, Shanece.

Hailing from Moneague, St Ann, ‘Twinny’, as they are affectionately called, have been employed as lecturers at the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in Kingston.

Pursuing their bachelor’s had always been a dream, which the 23-year-olds accomplished with steely resolve in a battle of attrition.

“Words could never capture how we felt then. But we had to go on to become a success, knowing she wanted the best for us,” Shanece said.

“She was our ... our rock, and so we started at the CMU paying our tuitions in full until by the second year, we really didn’t know where would get money from, because by then, our mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016, and she was our breadwinner, she did everything for us, including paying our rent,” she added.

It was hard times for the twins. Shanece told The Gleaner that they turned to the state-run Students’ Loan Bureau for funding, but even that option collapsed. When their loan status was cancelled, the siblings reached out to school administrators for intervention while seeking loans elsewhere. Eventually, they received scholarships.

“Our school has been very supportive of us during our most trying times, to be fair. They have helped us, guided us, cushioned us, comforted us, and helped us grieve through our darkest days and we remain eternally grateful to them,” said Shannoya.

Shanece said that their mother’s diagnosis had a debilitating effect on their grades as they struggled to process their grief. But they credit words of encouragement from a CMU lecturer for helping them to refocus. She also dedicated their success to their mother and to God.

“I remember Mommy, even while in her bed at the hospital, would always ask us about school, insisting that we kept studying and remain focused. She was our anchor,” Shannoya told The Gleaner.

“She would sometimes insist that we brought our assignments to use the Wi-Fi at the ­hospital just to make sure we got our work done. That’s how committed she was, even to the very end.”

paul.clarke@gleanerjm.com