Kittitian Sonia Boddie Graduates with Top Honours at Mexican University

BASSETERRE ST. KITTS (August 18, 2009) -- A Kittitian student has become the first black female to graduate from the prestigious Universidad Internacional in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Sonia Rosita Boddie, who hails from Tabernacle Village in St. Kitts, graduated on Friday August 14 with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations.
 
She not only earned her degree in three and a half years, a feat that is not commonplace at the university, but graduated with first class honours. She also received awards of Excellence for Outstanding Academic Performance, Best Academic Performance in the area of International Relations and for Overall Best Academic Performance in the University’s Graduating Class of 2009.
 
Her mother, Sylvina Boddie Ellis, who had travelled from the USA to be with her daughter for the occasion, joined the proud scholar as she (Sonia) received accolades for the hard work she had put in during her tenure at the Mexican university.
 
Sonia who has always harboured the dream of being a diplomat to represent her country at the international stage was beside herself with joy and when asked how she felt about receiving all those honours, her response was simply: “Happy, overwhelmed and thankful to have accomplished one of my life long dreams.”
 
“Pursuing studies in Mexico has been a challenging yet exciting experience,” commented Sonia as she posed for pictures with her mother.  “It has not only been a great cultural exchange where I immersed myself into the (local) culture while sharing mine but it has helped to prepare me to achieve my long-term goal in life i.e. becoming an ambassador for my beloved St. Kitts and Nevis.”
 
Her getting the opportunity to study at the Mexican university, which she joined in 2006, was the result of an intervention by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Timothy Harris, who after talks with the Mexican government secured a number of scholarships for Kittitians to study at various institutions of higher learning in Mexico.
 
During her tenure at Universidad Internacional, Sonia Rosita Boddie did not limit herself to academics but actively participated in a diverse range of extracurricular activities. In 2006, she became the first Caribbean Student Ambassador and was instrumental in spearheading the commemoration of the first Caribbean Day at the University.
 
Always looking to showcase the Caribbean, she founded and choreographed the University’s first Afro-Caribbean dance ensemble that taught Caribbean History through dance to various Mexican cities. She was also the founder and host of the first English radio show at her University’s radio station, with her very popular show “Welcome to the Caribbean”.        
 
Commenting about the impact the radio show has had she said, “I am very proud of the radio show as many people from around the globe have learnt of the Caribbean thanks to listening to the show online.”
 
Sonia Boddie received her early education at the Tabernacle Primary School, now Edgar T. Morris Primary School (where she was adjudged Valedictorian), the Cayon High School and the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.
 
She extends heartfelt thanks to her mother Sylvina Boddie Ellis, her godmother Pearline Nisbett, Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, the government and people of both St. Kitts and Nevis and Mexico, the Methodist Church Circuit in St. Kitts and Mexico and to all her friends and relatives who have always motivated her.
 
She dedicates her degree to her late grandmother Mary Boddie and her late cousin Samuel Boddie for always being supportive and for all the guidance and wisdom they imparted in her life and asserts that her drive to excel was fueled by the Motto of the Tabernacle Primary School, “There is no success without hard work”.
 
 “I intend to return to my country to give service in the area of  Foreign Affairs to foster improved foreign relations with St. Kitts-Nevis and other countries,” she said when asked what were her immediate plans. “It has been proven that good international relations and diplomacy is a remedy for overcoming many of the ever growing economic challenges, that small island states such as ours are facing in this era of globalisation.”
 
According to Sonia, her presence and achievement in Mexico “is indeed empirical evidence of what good bilateral relations between St. Kitts-Nevis and Mexico has achieved.”
 
END