Soon to be Dr Kibwey Peterkin, 23, this year’s University of Guyana (UG) Valedictorian has embraced a saying and is urging every person to be the best version of themselves.
Peterkin of Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was named this year’s University of Guyana’s Valedictorian, a first time achievement for the Faculty of Health Science, through which he pursued a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Medicine.
The recent graduate is extremely happy, giving praises to God and much appreciation to his family, close relatives and friends. He dubbed his family the “Peterkin and Stuart Clans”, who he said turned up in their numbers to witness him accept both his valedictorian and the Prime Minister’s awards.
The young man related that his journey through medical school was not a smooth ride, and explained: “The type of person I am, (not to sound cocky or anything), I don’t consider them to be struggles per se. Although they might have been disappointments in a way. I don’t think that they were things that really deterred me from progressing through medical school because the type of person I am, once I’m committed to something, I try to excel at it as much as I can.”
Peterkin said too that he has been trying to tell whoever listens to “be the best version of yourself. Work towards developing that part of your character that might be lacking, that lack of motivation that you have… Try to work around it, try to become excellent in whatever you do”.
Kibwey Peterkin
He is confident that if this approach is taken, things would not be considered struggles, only stumbling blocks that one would need to overcome. Speaking about his award, Peterkin said he is humbled by the opportunity afforded him by the university. He said as much as it is a one-man reward, he believes that everyone at the university deserves it since they have all worked hard…
“We all are valedictorians who gave encouragement even though I myself thought I couldn’t do it. The award is to bring pride and joy to everyone, especially my MBBS colleagues who graduated. We are not officially doctors as yet, because we have not taken the oath and registered with the medical board,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peterkin also spent some time talking about his family life, which he said has been very normal.
“I had a discussion with my cousin about what a single-parent actually means. I live in a single-parent household with my mother and three other siblings. That is not to say that my father hasn’t been involved in my life. My father tries to give me support as much as possible….The Peterkin clan, they have all gave me their support. The strength and pride I receive: If we seemed raucous and noisy (at graduation) that was just the expression of the overwhelming pride”, he said.
