Q : First , tell us a little about yourself and walk us through your background .
A : I was born and educated in Barbados through high school . I was overwhelmed with the desire for a higher education , but Barbados at that time did not have a university . Some of my best friends from high school were able to go to some of the top universities in the world , because they were prepared by Barbados ’ excellent educational system . My opportunity came through my brother who was an exchange student in New York . He mentioned to his host , an attorney , that I desired to come to the United States to study . Interestingly enough , I never heard from this attorney , but l received a letter from a university in Buffalo , New York with an application and suggesting that I apply . I did , and I was accepted .
Q : First , tell us a little about yourself and walk us through your background .
A : I was born and educated in Barbados through high school . I was overwhelmed with the desire for a higher education , but Barbados at that time did not have a university . Some of my best friends from high school were able to go to some of the top universities in the world , because they were prepared by Barbados ’ excellent educational system . My opportunity came through my brother who was an exchange student in New York . He mentioned to his host , an attorney , that I desired to come to the United States to study . Interestingly enough , I never heard from this attorney , but l received a letter from a university in Buffalo , New York with an application and suggesting that I apply . I did , and I was accepted .
Before coming to the United States , I worked as an editor with a local newspaper in Barbados . I was always fascinated by television even though I had never seen a television set until I was 18 , when Barbados launched its first station . Unfortunately , my university did not offer studies in this field , but while attending a reception one winter evening , I happened to meet two TV producer / directors who worked at the university producing programs for instruction . From them I discovered there was a fully equipped TV set on our campus . These men became my mentors for life . The following summer , I was hired by a network affiliate station to cover for one of them who sometimes filled in for crew members on vacation ; he would be traveling . This was after just one month of intense preparation from him . No one was aware of my limited experience , and I even walked away with a stellar letter of recommendation from the network .
While I was an undergraduate , I was appointed the Editor of the university ’ s student newspaper . This allowed me ready access to the President of the university . My mentors were academically qualified to be members of the faculty and it occurred to me that perhaps I could get credit for my experience working with the studio . I presented the idea to the President and he approved it . I then suggested to my mentors to apply to become
faculty members which would permit them to teach television-related independent courses . It meant I could take these courses and get credit for them . Let me note that the university did not offer any regular courses in the field . I eventually graduated with a degree in Sociology . With the urging of my mentors and because the television credits I had earned qualified me to enter the Television and Radio program at Syracuse University , I applied . I was admitted and earned a Master degree in TV and Radio . Not many other universities offered such a degree at the time .. I worked in television in Buffalo for four years and then obtained a PhD in Communications at University of Buffalo — SUNY . Later , I came to Houston to join the faculty of the School of Communication at Texas Southern University , Eventually I became Depart Chairman of the Television and Radio Department . In 2002 , I was invited by the Government of Barbados to represent the country as Honorary Vice Consul in Houston , and three years later to do so as Honorary Consul .
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