NCU to confer honorary degree on Fae Ellington

Broadcast journalist Fae Ellington is among three persons who will receive honorary degrees from Northern Caribbean University at its virtual graduation exercise to be held August 8. The other two awardees are United States-based businessman Andrew Ingraham and Dr Linford Pierson, former cabinet minister in the Cayman Islands.

Ellington, who will deliver the keynote address at one of two commencement ceremonies on August 8, is to be conferred with the degree of Doctor of Liberal Arts (Honoris Causa) in recognition of her outstanding work in theatre, media and culture. Her 50-year career has been marked by excellence, professionalism and versatility. During this period, she established herself as a sought-after orator and master of ceremonies at home and in the Jamaican diaspora. Ellington holds a Master of Arts degree in communication studies from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. She later taught in the journalism programme at the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at UWI from 1985 until retirement in 2018.

NCU will confer tourism businessman Andrew ‘Andy’ Ingraham with the degree of Doctor of Business (Honoris Causa). He will be the keynote speaker at the first of two commencement services. Ingraham, a distinguished alumnus of NCU and Florida International University, may be described as monumental in his influence and advancement in the symbiotic fields of multicultural tourism, hotel investment and the travel industry and African-American heritage, particularly in North America, The Bahamas and wider Caribbean. He founded the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers. As president/CEO of this non-profit, he also carved out a niche market strategy using Horizons Marketing Group International, a marketing and public relations company specialising in multicultural heritage and African-American travel.

The third candidate who will receive an honorary degree is Dr Linford Pierson. He will be conferred with the degree of Doctor of Public Service (Honoris Causa). Dr Pierson, the commencement speaker at NCU in 2020. He served as director on several public/private sector boards, including the University College of the Cayman Islands as well as NCU. He is an alumnus of West Indies College, the forerunner of Northern Caribbean University.

In addition to the above awardees, the university will grant special awards to the following individuals:

• Pearline Dawes-Higgins for the 2021 President’s Medallion

• Dr Wilmore Webley for the 2021 Product Sample

Some 500 students are expected to be conferred with diplomas and degrees. The graduation exercise extends over the weekend of August 6 to 8, 2021 under the theme: ‘Empowered by God: Overcoming Hurdles to Become the Anticipated Change’.