Pictured from left to right are BTVI’s Dean of Student Affairs, Racquel Bethel; Interim President, Dr. Linda Davis; University of North Alabama’s Associate Director of International Admissions and Recruitment, Akali Fulmer and Charlotte Knowles Thompson Agency’s Education Consultant, Charlotte Knowles-Thompson.
Photo: BTVI
Opportunities for Family Island students were one of the priorities during recent talks between officials of the University of North Alabama (UNA) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).
University of North Alabama’s Associate Director of International Admissions and Recruitment, Akali Fulmer and Charlotte Knowles Thompson Agency’s Education Consultant, Charlotte Knowles-Thompson, recently paid a courtesy call on BTVI’s Interim President, Dr. Linda Davis. Also present was BTVI’s Dean of Student Affairs Racquel Bethel.
“There are endless opportunities in the trades. BTVI remains committed to forming strategic partnerships that add value to its mandate, accrue mutual benefits and are advantageous to not only New Providence-based students, but students from our Northern Bahamas Campus and all our Family Island satellite locations,” said Dr. Davis.
The parties discussed how best the tertiary institutes can diversify their programmatic offerings and student experiences.
Dr. Davis highlighted that beyond a traditional 2+2 agreement, which involves students completing two years at a community college and transferring elsewhere for their final two years, there should be room for student and faculty exchange opportunities, joint programmes, collaborative online international learning (COIL) and service-learning initiatives, which entail students working with and in various communities.
As an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programmes, UNA presents various opportunities that align with BTVI’s vision and mission. Dr. Davis expressed that of particular interest to BTVI are University of North Alabama’s sustainability and allied health-related programmes of study.
Both BTVI and UNA participated in Charlotte Knowles Thompson Agency’s first annual college fair which hosted over 2,000 college-interested individuals. Presently, Bahamian students that commit to UNA through the Charlotte Knowles Thompson Agency receive exclusive scholarship opportunities.