College president celebrates institution’s anniversary year
The new president of Bermuda College hailed the institution as world class while highlighting its progress over the past 50 years.
David Sam told the Hamilton Rotary Club that while he has been in the post only for six weeks, his first impression of the college was that it was a “top-notch” institution.
Delivering a presentation celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary year, Dr Sam said: “I always say don’t brag without facts.
“This college is accredited by the same organisation that accredits Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth and Brown, so yes, you can say that Bermuda College is in the same league as those institutions.”
He added that unlike some colleges, Bermuda College does not rely on student teaching assistants to teach classes.
“In many places, the first two years are taught by teaching assistants,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with that — I used to be one of them — but as a student assistant, your interest first and foremost is on your own education.
“At Bermuda College, we have professors. We have people who this is their career and they are at the top of their field.”
The Hamilton Rotary Club paid tribute to two of its own yesterday, presenting George Cook and Mansfield Brock with Distinguished Service Awards for their contributions to education.
Dr Cook, a graduate of Dalhousie University and Oxford University, started his career in education as an assistant professor in the history department of Simon Fraser University.
In 1976, he was named the head of academic studies at Bermuda College, while also serving as the institution’s Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Dr Cook went on to become the vice-president of the school, then served as the Bermuda College president from 1992 to 2002, where he helped to establish the transfer programme to allow students to transfer their credits to overseas institutions.
Dr Brock studied at McGill University, London University and the University of Toronto before returning to the island to teach physics and mathematics at The Berkeley Institute.
He later went on to serve as the headteacher at Sandys Secondary School for nine years before becoming chief executive and president of Bermuda College.
After leaving the college, Dr Brock continued to work to bolster education in Bermuda as the Permanent Secretary of Education.
Dr Sam said that while a degree from Bermuda College could put students on the right track to a bright future, the college has worked on a number of agreements with institutions overseas so that students can take their credits elsewhere.
He highlighted recent agreements with Arizona State University, linked with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Florida International University and Kentucky State University.
“Any student who wants any degree can start in Bermuda College and end up in these institutions out there and beyond,” Dr Sam said.
He added that Bermuda College has just introduced a new class on managing evolving risk, which was a natural fit for the island’s international business sector.
“It just started this semester and has 14 students,” he said. “I don’t believe there is anywhere in the world that you will have a better laboratory for this course than Bermuda, and no better place to teach it then Bermuda College.
“Our goal is to attract more students to Bermuda through programmes like this.”
Dr Sam highlighted the success of the dual enrolment programme, through which he said 31 high school students were able to earn college credits last year.
“We have admitted a new group of 30 students into the programme,” he said. “These students are going to be saving money and saving time.”
He went on to say that 26 Bermuda College students will be given the opportunity to travel to Europe for immersive programmes through the British Department of Education’s Turing Scheme programme.
Dr Sam said Bermuda College’s 50 years of operation were a testament to the hard work of those who came before him, and that celebratory events would take place throughout the year to recognise their contributions.
Speaking to several past Bermuda College presidents present at the event, Dr Sam said: “If your shoulders are sore this afternoon, it’s because I’m standing on your shoulders.”
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