For many, his mere appearance was inspiring. For others, it was the story of national pride and history that he told. But maybe it was the conclusion of his speech with a Bob Marley lyric that sealed the joy at the Monroe College appearance of Dr. Basil K. Bryan, Consul General of Jamaica.
"This is a first for me," said Medical Assisting major Angela Harewood as she and her two friends feasted on heaps of curried chicken, roti, and coconut rice. "I'd never met nor seen a Consul General before and it really means a lot to me, my heritage, and my culture."
"I thought the historical information he gave was great," said Georgiana Bah, also a Medical Assisting major. "Until he said it, I didn't know that I share roots with Colin Powell."
On Wednesday, June 27, Dr. Bryan participated in Monroe's Caribbean Heritage Day that featured food, music, flags, and cultural pride for not only people of Jamaica, but of all Caribbean nations.
"We were happy to accept the invitation," said, Audrey Campbell, Dr. Bryan's information attaché. "Any Caribbean Heritage Month celebration has to involve the students and Monroe College has done it well."
"I am most impressed," Dr. Bryan noted after a private audience with Monroe President Stephen Jerome, a few students, and faculty. "What I like is the business of the campus where you can see that the relationships between students and faculty are strong." |