Media personality captures prize for work in Literatures

Well-known media personality Shawn Greene has earned the Barbados Community College’s (BCC) Gabrielle Gay Award for Excellence in Literatures in English for his outstanding work as a student in the Liberal Arts Department.

The former CBC Sports Editor recently graduated with an Associate Degree in Environmental Science and Literatures in English. Already a unique combination of disciplines to study, it was his almost straight ‘A’ profile in the Literature courses (he received one B+ over the two-year programme) that earned him the accolades.

In congratulating Greene for his achievements, Registrar Roger Worrell stressed the importance of the study of literature to preserve the island’s cultural and moral traditions. He noted that students who read works of literature are more likely to appreciate themselves, their culture, and the associated morals and values.

“For example, persons who were exposed to In the Castle of My Skin and Growing up Stupid under the Union Jack learn to appreciate what Barbadiana is all about. So culture and appreciating your society comes through literature, but literature also develops your vocabulary and imagination. Television doesn’t do much for your imagination but reading a novel… you can be transported to Russia… all over the world by just experiencing other pieces of literature,” he said.

This position was echoed by Gabrielle Gay, patron of the prize. She acknowledged the combination of subjects Greene chose to study, noting that contrary to what some might think, literature and environmental science can complement each other.

She contended that literature allows people to understand things at a deeper level, which is the type of analysis needed now given the climate challenges faced by Barbados and the rest of the world.

Gay noted: “If we look at the world around us, the way the environment is with things has been happening… we’ve had greenhouse gases, we’ve got global warming…. We need individuals who can think on a deeper level, to then create innovative solutions and mindsets that we need for the future, because in mitigation and adaptation of climate change, we can’t do what we were doing, because, obviously, it’s not working”.

This is Greene’s second associate degree, having completed the Mass Communications programme at BCC 20 years ago. He explained that this time around, he was not accepted for his subject of first choice, geography. While literature was his second choice, he said he does not regret studying it.

“I really enjoyed it because I enjoy writing. And what I will leave with you is to let your passion guide you; if you’re passionate about something, go after it,” he said. “It wasn’t easy balancing work and being a full-time student. It was not easy, but because I was passionate about literature… that made it easy.”

In recognition of his outstanding achievement, Greene was presented with a plaque.

(PR)