Graduation at UTCWI

Bertram Gayle Gains Distinction and Four Awards

Five Anglican students have graduated from the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI) where a virtual Valedictory service was held on May 19. They are Mr. Bertram Gayle, Mr. Courtney Carridice, Mr. Kamar Prendergast, Ms.  Monnecia Duncan, and the Rev. Paul Sharp.           

Mr. Gayle who gained the Diploma in Ministerial Studies with Distinction, swept the following four awards:

  • Academic Excellence: Awarded to the final year student who has scored A’s in at least 75% of his/her twenty best courses for the Diploma in Ministerial Studies and B’s in the rest;
  • The Fitz John Prize in Hebrew and Old Testament: Presented to the final year student with the best grades in Hebrew and Old Testament
  • The David Kuck Prize for Acts of the Apostle: Presented to the final year student who has achieved the best grades in Acts of the Apostle course
  • The Sidney and Mae Guntley Award for Environmental Concern: Presented to the student who exhibits care of the property, concern for the sanitation and cleanliness of the community and concern for security

This is the second time that Mr. Gayle has graduated from the UTCWI as he previously received the Certificate in Ministerial Studies in 2003. He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Linguistics from the University of the West Indies (UWI); a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Theology from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in the United Kingdom; and a Diploma in Bible and Theology from the Assembly of God Bible College in Christiana, Manchester.

In the Easter 2021 issue of The Anglican Mr. Gayle is featured in a short article entitled “The Call to Pastoral Ministry” in which he says, “The Church has always been my home.” He is from Westmoreland and his earliest religious memories are of St. John, Darliston.  He left the Anglican Church for a time, but returned in 2014 when he was confirmed at Christ Church, Vineyard Town, from which church he entered the UTCWI.

We congratulate all the graduates, and extend best wishes to them as they continue their Christian journey. The graduates, with the exception of Rev. Sharp who is already priested, will be ordained to the Diaconate on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul on June 29.

Please see the June 2021 issue of The Anglican for profiles on our graduates