Most of us won’t have a chance to wear a gown or participate
in a UB graduation, but you can be a part of graduation ceremonies that is because,
the gown, cap and tassel for the UB undergraduate graduation academic dress
may be just the one that you design. For the first time UB is inviting the general
public to take part in its UB graduation gown design. There are twelve criteria
that your design must meet. The design must reflect UB’s s colours of
purple and yellow–gold and the material should be suited to Belize’s
tropical climate, and reflect or incorporate Belize’s multicultural reality.
7News caught up with UB’s public relations officer Silvaana Udz
and asked her why have the public involved? Udz says since UB’s inception
they have always promised ro look at their graduation gown with the idea of
trying to make it more relevant to the country’s multicultural reality
and to the climate in Belize.
Sylvaana Udz, UB – PR Officer
“In fact last year January the Supreme Court of Belize set precedent
in this regard in terms of regalia changing and included now the national colours
of Belize in the Supreme Court robes. And so UB decided, well our tenth anniversary
is coming up at the 2011 graduation and let’s do the nationwide competition
this year, there is a $1,000 first prize and two other prizes to have a gown
designed for the bachelorrete level which will also include the Associate’s
certificate program. So an undergraduate gown that reflects Belize’s multicultural
reality and what at the same time is more suited to our climate and the tropical
look we have.
All the rules will be published and well advertised of course but of course
it will have to have UB colours and there are other stylistic mandates. For
example the multicultural reality may be reflected in a Stoll that’s added
to the gown, that necessarily in the gown and so on. So those will be released
in fact it is already on our website if people would like to get a jump ahead
and January 25th, I believe, 2010 is the deadline for entries. I have to say
as well our Hon. Chief Justice already had tentatively agreed depending on the
dates to be one of the judges because we were really triggered to make this
promise come about because of the decision the Supreme Court also took.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Is the competition open only to UB students or to the general public?”
Sylvaana Udz,
“We’re a national university, it is opened to all Belizeans
sixteen years and old. There are a few people who cannot enter such as judges
and their immediate families and the UB management team or the organizing committee.
Other than that, it is open paki because we are the national university and
just as we had a nationwide contest in year 2000 to design our logo, similarly
this is the people’s university and so they have an input. All students
as well can enter.”
Deadlines for submissions is January twenty fifth, 2010. Mail your
submission to UB graduation gown competition. Attention Office of Public Information,
University of Belize, Central Campus, Hummingbird Avenue, PO Box 340, Belmopan,
Belize. For more information on the competition you can contact Silvaana Udz
at 822–3680 extension 205 or 610–2560.
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