Environmental lawyer Annika Bellot encouraged the 2026 graduating class of Dominica State College (DSC) to view their degrees not as the conclusion of their educational journey, but as evidence that they have developed the ability to learn, saying that it is an essential skill in the rapidly evolving world they are preparing to enter.
Over 300 students graduated from the DSC last week.
“Leadership itself is not just a title, it’s not a position, it’s not just standing on a podium or being placed on a program; leadership is the decision to live in a way that expands what other people believe is possible in this life,” she said. “ So as you leave the Dominica State College, don’t only ask, what job can I get now? Also, ask, what kind of person am I becoming? What rooms do I need to enter to become that person? What skills, conversations…what do I need to learn? Because your degree here is definitely not the end of your education. It’s proof that you know how to learn. And in the world you’re entering, that’s a very important asset.”
According to Bellot, the world is changing very quickly: “ Industries, climate, technology, everything is changing. AI, the nature of work itself is changing.”
However, she stated that the future will not only reward people who know how to do things.
“It will reward people who can keep learning, people who can adapt, think across disciplines, communicate, solve problems, think differently, and that has to be you,” Bellot noted.
Moreover, she pointed out that the next generation of Dominican nurses, teachers, entrepreneurs, public servants, and leaders must not only be qualified, “you have to be curious about the world around you.”
Meanwhile, Interim President of the DSC Trudy Christian said over the past 23 years the institution has contributed remarkably to the human capital of every sector in Dominica.
“The Dominica State College is 23 years old, and for an institution still in its fledgling stage of adulthood, it has contributed remarkably to the human capital of every single sector of our local economy,” she said.
She continued, “This institution serves the learners through more than 30 academic program offerings uniquely combining TVET training. with nursing education, curriculum and pedagogy instruction, and multiple arts and science disciplines, all within one institution.”
Christian added, “Each year, we graduate more than 300 students, while enhancing the marketable skills of hundreds more through short courses and professional training opportunities. We accomplish this with a full-time faculty and staff complement of approximately 140 dedicated individuals.”
She said the DSC relies heavily on the support of the government of Dominica, along with support from its private sector partners and numerous collaborators, “and we remain deeply grateful for that support.”
Christian told policymakers that when there is still so much to achieve, incremental progress can sometimes feel painfully slow, and frustration can easily build.
“So, to the policymakers, we may ask what the return is on their investment in the Dominican State College? And to the stewards of institutional change who may occasionally grow weary, I want to say this: What we do at the Dominica State College is not simply about immediate returns. It is about generational transformation. It is about national transformation. And that is where the glory will come,” she emphasized.
Christian went on to state that this year alone, at almost every secondary school graduation across Dominica, the featured speakers, individuals selected because of their contribution to society and their ability to inspire the next generation, were graduates of the Dominica State College.
