Kerese Gonsalves is a journalist hailing from the quiet community of Lichfield, West Coast of Berbice. For her, the road to achieving her Bachelor of Social Science (Communication Studies) was anything but smooth. Raised in a supportive, close-knit household with her mother and grandparents, Kerese’s journey to higher education was deeply influenced by her late grandmother, Joy Duke Gonsalves, and her mother—both dedicated educators who instilled in her a passion for learning.
Their dedication to teaching, as well as their drive to continuously learn and grow inspired Kerese to pursue tertiary education at the University of Guyana. Though they paved the way for her to appreciate the power and importance of knowledge and education, Gonsalves chose journalism since she was always fascinated by the role storytelling plays in shaping society.
The journey
“My journey to completing my degree was anything but straightforward. It all began in January 2020, during the second semester of the first year, when I enrolled in the Diploma in Communication Studies. I started in the middle of the academic year, as such I missed the introductory sessions of many first semester courses which left me feeling behind,” Kerese said.
For her the physical classes were challenging as she was new to University life, and as a teenager, she struggled with social anxiety. “Seeing the first-year students who had already gained so much knowledge during the first semester was very intimidating. Thankfully, I met Shena Henry, my very first friend at university who helped me through this overwhelming experience,” she added.
Soon after, she met two other women who were also new to the program and they bonded over their experience of having to redo first-semester courses. They went through the challenges together and what began as a shared academic struggle turned into a lasting friendship.
Another significant challenge for Kerese, was the long commute from Berbice to the University of Guyana, which she undertook almost every day.
“I vividly remember traveling for hours to reach campus only to find out that class had been canceled. There were times I had to wake up at 4Am to make preparations and begin traveling at 5am to make it to a 7:15 English lecture or stay until 8:15 p.m for evening classes then travel back home using public transport, which meant that after leaving the Campus, I’d head to the Berbice park and wait at the bus park for the bus to fill up,” Kerese mentioned.
Just when things seemed to be great for Kerese, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and adjusting to online classes became one of her biggest challenges. Gonsalves even contracted the virus and missed several sessions. However, her friends Melinda and Yewanda were very supportive during that period, always ensuring that she stayed up to date with the coursework. Thanks to their help she was able to adapt to online learning making the most of the situation until we transitioned to a hybrid learning format.
In 2022, Gonsalves completed the Diploma in Communication Studies.
Next, the Degree ” It was nowhere near as daunting as the struggles I faced during my first two years”
Further she mentioned, “I was immensely grateful for all that I had overcome to reach that milestone, all praises to God. Moving forward, I began my degree in the same field. While there were still challenges they were nowhere near as daunting as the struggles I faced during my first two years. By the third and fourth years much of the coursework became more hands on and practical sessions allowed me to apply what I had learned. We also grew closer to the lecturers in our department and their support made the process smoother.”
During the final part of her degree, the pressure intensified especially with the aspects of final projects and research. “At one point I thought group assignments would have been the death of me,” Kerese said.
Kerese and another friend often found themselves working late into the night on campus balancing coursework with other responsibilities. Despite the demanding workload she was able to complete everything and, today, Kerese stands as a proud graduate of the University of Guyana. Ready to channel her love for storytelling into impactful journalism. Reflecting on her journey, she credits her faith, family, and friends for helping her overcome the hurdles along the way.
Though her journey was filled with many challenges it was these significant hurdles that assisted in shaping Kerese into the person she is today.
“Find your squad — your group of friends who’ve got your back. University can get tough but having a solid group around you makes UG 10x easier,” is Kerese’s simple advice to youth.