By Elesha George
The Antigua State College (ASC) is working to revamp its alumni association in an effort to improve the infrastructure and the quality of education offered at the tertiary institution.
Dwayne Simon, Head of Training and Development, is directing the cause and said the aim is to tap into the talent of former students in the diaspora who may want to give back to the school.
“We’re really trying to see how we can collaborate for the benefit of the existing Antigua State College community as well as the infrastructure.
“We know that there are people who are willing to help whether in cash, in kind, with their expertise and we wanted to provide a platform to allow these persons to connect.
“In Antigua we have a lot of persons who are concerned with nation building and persons who want to invest in that next generation; supporting the Antigua State College and the students there can go a long way,” he explained.
Simon said the alumni are in the thousands and with their assistance he believes the association can enhance the teaching and learning experience to benefit the country.
The association has therefore started a membership drive and had its first meeting on Tuesday night.
“When you register you can indicate your interest and from there we are hoping, in the next month or so, to form an executive and once that executive is formed, we’re hoping that in the second quarter we can mobilise plans for our first project,” he said.
“We know that it’s very important to start off realistically so although we have a wide variety of needs and projects in mind, we will start with the low-hanging fruit.”
One of those short-term projects is to create a sick bay on campus, something Simon said is much needed.
“If something happens to a student it would be nice to have a dedicated space where they can receive medical care,” he added.
The group also aims to offer scholarships and establish a food programme for students who may be unable to afford food.
This, he said, is a very serious problem at the institution that needs to be addressed.
Former students are actively being invited to register through the association’s Facebook page.
Membership Registration is available via https://bit.ly/3IPFGuJ
WhatsApp Alumni Chat Group via https://chat.whatsapp.com/LY97pEBVuEO7typigtPlBt
Join us on Facebook! Antigua State College Alumni Association: https://bit.ly/3qOJfuT
Application Form for executive roles: https://bit.ly/3iSw0ot