Women of UWI urged to start ‘tapping into their greatness’
YOUNG FEMALE university students have been encouraged to follow their passions with fervour, “tapping into their greatness” and leaving their mark along whichever career path they ultimately choose to follow.
On Friday, Dr Opal Donaldson-Cross, assistant vice president for data and analytics at Sagicor Group Jamaica, spoke of the invaluable lessons she has learnt through her personal experiences.
Donaldson-Cross was the keynote speaker at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus last Friday, during the launch of the UNESCO-UWI Walking in Her Footsteps (WIHFS) 2024 mentorship programme which coincided with celebrations of International Women’s Day.
In a detailed breakdown, Donaldson-Cross offered five lessons she learnt over the course of her life.
LESSON ONE
The first lesson she outlined is “do not despise small beginnings”.
Donaldson-Cross followed by explaining her background of being born in the Hanover district of Woodchurch t o teenage parents. By the age of 14, she moved to downtown Kingston to live on John’s Lane with her grandaunt who raised her. This grandaunt, she said, laboured seven days a week to make ends meet.
“It was hard work, really hard work. When I was in primary school, I enjoyed going with her to these places but as I got older, it was not so much fun. I became self-conscious as a young lady and I didn’t want to go downtown to help with the selling, but I had to,” she explained.
“Sometimes she would see the distress on my face, and she would say, ‘if you don’t want to do what I do, tek yuh book’. From that day onward I knew what it would take to shift my life... . Looking back now, I am so proud of her because she played an integral role in the woman I am today,” she continued.
LESSON TWO
Her second lesson, Donaldson-Cross announced, is that, “you don’t need to have all the answers before starting”.
Here she revealed that two months after she turned 18, her grandaunt died.
“It rocked my world. I was now on my own, I was about to go to upper-six, and I had no way of continuing or furthering my education but yet still I was determined to go back to school,” she said.
Donaldson-Cross continued that her school principal had heard of her situation, and shortly after she was awarded a scholarship to cover her tuition. Although she did not have any money for lunch or the daily bus fare, she was able to survive thanks to the generosity of friends who paid for her bus fare and shared their lunches.
Her achievements allowed her to receive acceptance at UWI and the University of Technology, Jamaica to study computer science.
Given her financial difficulties, she “had no clue” how she would pay her tuition, but her grandaunt’s advice that, “If you don’t want to do what I do, tek yuh book,” was always on her mind.
In the summer, she worked at a local bank and met a woman who was already enrolled in university, studying medicine in Cuba.
The woman’s aunt was informed of her circumstances and offered to pay for her tuition. In year two, the Government paid but she faced challenges to make payments for years three and four. Eventually, she was able to get some relatives to become guarantors on her behalf for a student loan.
Donaldson-Cross graduated with first class honours despite everything that had been stacked against her.
“What was in me was greater than the challenges in front of me,” she declared.
LESSON THREE
Another lesson Donaldson-Cross highlighted was that “God will provide a David to slay giants for you, a Joshua to speak on your behalf and even a Pharaoh to finance a dream the way Pharaoh did it for Joseph”.
In time, Donaldson-Cross pursued a Master of Philosophy in information systems where she was further assisted through the mentorship of Professor Paul Golding.
“He saw in me something that was even bigger than what I saw in myself, and he bent me to show me how great I could be,” she said.
Later, Donaldson-Cross pursued her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in information systems with mentorship from Professor Evan Duggan.
LESSON FOUR
The next lesson Donaldson-Cross revealed, is that, “what people think of you is none of your business, dream as big as you want and take up space”.
Donaldson-Cross said that, at the age of 15, a teacher told her that years later she would be selling bag juice at the school gate.
“She’s one of my biggest motivators today. Understand that it is not her responsibility to believe in me, it was my duty to believe in myself and to own my own dreams,” she said.
Continuing, she noted that as a woman in technology she had met several doubtful individuals who were sceptical of the kind of value she would offer.
“Let’s face it, as women we’re often seen as emotional, illogical and if you are too stern, you are the ‘B’ word,” she said.
She went on to say that, despite everything, she experienced moments of fear where she wondered if she should pursue her desired career. She believed her work and worth were indisputable, so she decided to be bold and keep going.
Today, as a mother, a wife, an academic and a “corporate baddie”, Donaldson-Cross believes she still has a lot more to offer. For this reason, she continues to dream big while working tirelessly to establish herself as a prominent woman in the technology industry.
“It is not an easy space to occupy as a woman ... but you must make your mark in whatever field or passion that you pursue. Make no apologies for being excellent, listen to your instincts and follow that voice within you that is pushing you to become your best,” she urged.
LESSON FIVE
Her final lesson is that “it is not failure, it is feedback”. Donaldson-Cross spoke about her struggle of trying to balance motherhood and work life.
She urged the women going through similar circumstances to be kind to themselves and to seek self-forgiveness when they make mistakes.
“Failure is feedback on how to get better. You cannot claim success without failure,” she said.
The WIHFS initiative is geared towards undergraduates studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By exposing participants to a wide range of female science professionals, the programme’s aim is to inspire young women in STEM by providing them with good role models.
During his remarks, Dr André Coy, associate dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, stated that the faculty was dedicated to empowering and promoting women in STEM as the programme was designed to “bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement” for young women, so that there is equal access to opportunities and support in pursuing their interests in STEM, irrespective of gender, background, or circumstances.
“The faculty of science and technology at the Mona campus is bucking the worldwide trend for female enrolment in science and technology programmes at the tertiary level. Worldwide, the average female enrolment for science and technology programmes is approximately 31 per cent, in this faculty the percentage is 60 per cent,” he said.