REFLECTIONS

A Mentor to All

The past presidents described how Dr. Cleghorne mentored them in both his positions of Vice President for Student Services, and prior to that, Dean of the School of Religion and Theology.

“Dr. Cleghorne was that mentor that you could call on absolutely for any and every thing. He was like a reservoir of knowledge,” Kavion Allen reflected.

Onyeka Nevins recounted two quotes from Dr. Cleghorne, as a Religion and Theology student, which influenced his USM leadership and has been guiding his life since then.

“What you will be, you are now becoming” [and] “It’s all about meeting people where they are, and taking them to a place where they have never been,” Nevins stated.

Cynthia Garbutt related: “He taught me… how to be a firm but charismatic leader.”

Ruel Haye had ambitions to pursue a business career, but he was encouraged by Dr Cleghorne to make the transition to Religion and Theology.

“The words “mentor” and “Cleghorne” – they can be used interchangeably,” Wayne Woolery said. “That’s what many of the students from SRT [School of Religion and Theology] and from the [USM] regime will take away, that he was a mentor to us. And for that, we’re grateful.”

Supportive of Youth

“Dr. Cleghorne was more than just the VP of Student Services – he was a friend to the students. We saw him, we felt his presence, and we experienced his love for youth,” the current USM President Neil Brivette expressed.

“He’s seen as this spiritual leader, but he’s very much in touch with young people,” Wayne Woolery said. “He’s always supportive of the USM [and] the suggestions that we had, and if there was anything that could not happen, he would not say ‘no,’ but he would think of an alternative.”

Cynthia Garbutt remembered that, “Dr. Cleghorne would fiercely defend students to the wider

Administrative body, while at the same time mete out the due sanctions on the ethos-breaking youngster; it was a smile-inducing balance,” she said.

She appreciated the genuine respect Dr. Cleghorne demonstrated for her position as USM President. “He would always put unwavering trust in my leadership which behooves me to operate with highest ethics because I would have never wanted to break that trust.”

“He was a part of the USM family and he will be greatly missed, for no one can replace him,” Neil Brivette declared. Kavion Allen agreed, “There’s absolutely nobody at NCU, in the church, in the world who will ever be able to