A Blast from the Past: UWI Alumni History
The “BBC” of The UWI: A Story of Generational Connections Across the Caribbean and Beyond
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has a history dating back to 1948, when it began at Mona in Jamaica as a University College affiliated with the University of London. From those beginnings with 33 medical students, The UWI has grown into a regional university with five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and the Global Campus.
The UWI’s Regional Headquarters is located at Mona in Kingston, Jamaica, which also serves as the seat of the University’s Central Administration.
The background to this story is to illustrate how deeply rooted The UWI is in connecting generations of Caribbean families, both within the region and internationally.
This is the story of three families, the Burkes, the Bardouilles and the Charles, affectionately described as the “BBC” of The UWI. At various points, members of these families attended The UWI’s Mona Campus in Jamaica, and their connections have continued across generations, linking them to communities in California, Trinidad and Tobago, and beyond.
Dr. Basil Burke, a Jamaican, studied Chemistry at The UWI’s Mona Campus and graduated with a BSc Honours degree in 1966. While pursuing his doctorate under the late Professor Wilfred Chan, he served as Chairman and later Sub Warden of Taylor Hall. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral studies at the University of British Columbia in Canada before returning to Mona, where he began lecturing in 1972.
The late Dr. Victor Bardouille, who hailed from Dominica, came to the Mona Campus from the United Kingdom, where he had completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry, to pursue his PhD. He began his doctoral studies at Mona in 1974, with Dr. Burke and Professor Wilfred Chan serving as his advisors. The UWI Department of Chemistry’s records confirm Bardouille’s 1974 PhD and identify W. R. Chan as his supervisor.
The late Dr. Jefferson Charles, also from Dominica, graduated from the Mona Campus in 1963 with a BSc degree. He was married to Dr. Hildreth Susan Bardouille, a sister of Dr. Victor Bardouille, who was then a secondary school teacher in Dominica.
After leaving Dominica in the late 1970s, the Charles family migrated to the United Kingdom so that Jefferson, who was then working in broadcasting, could pursue further studies. Affectionately known as Jeff in the radio industry, he went on to serve as Deputy Head of the BBC’s Caribbean Service in London. It was during this period that his fourth daughter, Vignetta, was born.
The family later migrated to the United States, settling in California, where both Jefferson and Susan pursued higher education. Jefferson obtained a doctorate in satellite communications, while Susan earned a doctorate in education.
Dr. Burke also left The UWI in 1978 with his young family to undertake research as a Senior Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University in California.
I was a student in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at The UWI in the early 1970s, and Dr. Burke was once my lecturer in Organic Chemistry. I recall an amazingly unexpected experience one day when, just before attending class, I saw Victor Bardouille. I had last seen him many years earlier, when he had left Dominica to travel to Bradford, England, to join his parents.
After graduating in 1976, I worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Bursary at the Mona Campus. During that time, I became acquainted with Dr. Burke and his young family socially. I also played Junior Cup cricket with the UWI Senior Common Room team. Among my teammates were Dr. Burke, Professor Claremont Kirton, Dr. Hadrian Peter, the late Dwight Venner, the late Dr. Hugo Alleyne, the late Professor Al Francis and the late Dr. Claude Davis.
I left the Mona Campus in 1979 and migrated to Canada, where I presently reside.
I had not seen Dr. Burke again since his departure for Stanford. I knew his children well, including his daughter Nadine, as well as the boys and the family’s pet dog, Ninyo. From time to time, memories of the family would return as I reminisced about the good old days on campus.
I particularly remember one occasion when Dr. Burke’s wife, Hortense, used me as a decoy to help plan a surprise birthday party for him. Dr. Burke and I left his house in his white Ford Cortina, licence plate KP 800, supposedly to play cricket, giving Hortense the opportunity to make preparations for the celebration.
Some years later, I found myself searching online for Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Dr. Burke’s daughter. Perhaps I was simply following up on Dr. Burke’s progress, or perhaps it was my involvement with the UWI Alumni Association in Toronto and my interest in exploring the wider UWI alumni universe.
I discovered that Nadine had become a medical doctor and was appointed California’s first Surgeon General in 2019. I was truly impressed and immediately thought of the young girl I once knew, who grew up racing the boys in College Commons on the UWI grounds at Mona. I felt proud for her and for her parents. While preparing this article, I also learned with sadness of the passing of her mother, Hortense.
I subsequently made contact with the Charles family in Palo Alto, as we share the same Dominican background. In fact, I grew up not far from the Bardouille family. Through my connection with Fitzroy, Susan’s brother, here in Canada, I learned that Dr. Vignetta Charles, the daughter of Susan and Jefferson Charles and Chief Executive Officer of Education, Training and Research (ETR), is a close friend of Dr. Nadine Burke Harris.
I also learned that when the Burkes moved to Stanford, the Burke and Charles families became close friends. Remarkably, Nadine and Vignetta both earned Master of Public Health degrees from Harvard University.
What a small world it is indeed.
To complete this remarkable journey, a son of the late Dr. Victor Bardouille, Dr. Nand C. Bardouille, is Manager of The UWI Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean at the Institute of International Relations, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. The UWI currently lists Dr. Bardouille in this role.
This story is a powerful reminder that The UWI, true to the spirit of its acronym, is about “you and we.” It reflects a genuine generational family, one that continues to connect people, families and communities across the Caribbean and the wider world.
A legacy worthy of being celebrated.
Written By:
Ferdinand Fortune
Proud UWI Alumnus
