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| Kriston and Ourieka Petty |
Married couple Kriston and Ourieka Petty are defying the odds that wedding at a young age sets one back from achieving one’s dreams. The couple who began their studies in August 2015 will both walk in this year’s commencement ceremony.
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| 2018 Graduates |
The Petty's recall naysayers telling them they were ‘throwing away their lives.’ Among the slew of negative comments were accusations that they’d be too distracted by each other to focus on their studies and that they’d be not be ready to handle that kind of responsibility.
According to the Petty’s, both 23, they were happy that they stuck to their dreams and remained committed to completing their undergraduate studies.
“We managed to prove that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible” said Petty. “Whether, married or not, one just needs the right kind of motivation in order to shine as bright as the sun.”
When asked about plans for the future the couple assured that this isn’t the end for them, they are committed to continued success. "We do not plan to end the journey here either,” said Petty. "Our plan is to go to graduate school together in order to continue elevating ourselves.”
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| A Happy Graduate |
Kriston and Ourieka, both originally from St. Kitts-Nevis, are happy they chose UVI to complete their Bachelor degrees. They believe that their accomplishment is testimony that at UVI any individual from different walks of life regardless of their circumstance or situation can and will succeed.
“Whether one is single, married, old, young, rich or poor, UVI is the place for them,” said Petty.
Kriston and Oureika will both graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a minor in Environmental Science respectively. Summa Cum Laude is the highest honor added to a degree or a diploma for work that is considered to be the highest quality.
