Collective Triumphs: Proud Siblings Set to Walk UG’s 2026 Graduation Stage

The graduation stage will have a special meaning for four sets of siblings at the University of Guyana (UG) 2026 Convocation this November. As they collect their certificates, they will also celebrate something they experienced together: the long days of studying, the difficult moments that tested their resolve, and the encouragement that helped them keep going.

They entered UG with the same ambitions – that is, to ensure their dream of acquiring a university education becomes a reality and, more importantly, that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to be successful citizens. What connects them is not simply graduating in the same year, but the memories, sacrifices and family bonds carried along the way.

Kyle Stephney is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, and Ashley Stephney with a Bachelor of Laws

For Kyle and Ashley Stephney of Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, graduating in the same year was never planned. At 24, Kyle is graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the College of Medical Sciences (CMS), while Ashley, 22, is graduating with a Bachelor of Laws from the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS). They both are graduating with distinction.

Kyle said his toughest moment came in 2020, when he was first rejected from medical school.“It was tough, but I was able to get through it with my family’s support and I got accepted the following year,” he said. Ashley said hers came in her third year, when she was unsure whether she would make it to the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS).

During that time, Kyle would collect her after late-night classes and encourage her when assignments and examinations became overwhelming.

Their study routines were hardly alike. Kyle preferred daytime study, while Ashley often continued until sleep overtook her. Yet their mutual admiration was evident, even beneath the occasional teasing. "I'm probably the better student, though," Kyle joked. Ashley agreed, calling him "possibly the smartest person I know."

Ashley is now pursuing her legal studies at the HWLS in Trinidad and Tobago, with plans to practice in Guyana. Kyle hopes to undertake an internship at the Georgetown Public Hospital in 2027.

Brothers Javid and Navid Hussain will both graduate with Associate Degrees in Civil Engineering. The photo on the right shows the siblings in their childhood days.

Unlike the Stephneys, Javid and Navid Hussain of Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, had more than a graduation year in common. The brothers also shared the same field of study, a daily commute and a determination strengthened by circumstances far beyond the classroom.

Their interest in education grew in a household where academic achievement was already familiar. Their mother recently earned a degree in computer science, while their father completed a diploma in electrical engineering. Both brothers eventually chose UG's engineering programme, with tuition-free education making the decision even more attractive.

Navid, 19, initially intended to pursue Mechanical Engineering before his older brother Javid, 21, influenced him towards Civil Engineering. "What started as an unexpected change in direction eventually turned into one of the most rewarding decisions I have made,"Navid said.

Their university years, however, were tested by a particularly difficult family experience. During their first year, their mother was undergoing treatment for breast cancer while both brothers balanced their studies with training for the national hockey team. Navid said the experience had taken a mental and emotional toll on both of them. “Watching my mother face her own challenges reminded me of the importance of perseverance,” he said.

Navid said Javid had always given him something to strive towards. “It’s almost like I’ve spent my whole life chasing a target, and now that we’re older, we’re finally standing on more equal ground,”he said.

Now that they have completed their Associate Degree in Civil Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, they are continuing on to their bachelor's degree.

Melissa Moore (L) will graduate with a Bachelor of Education (Secondary), English, and Marissa Mohamed (R) with a Bachelor of Education (Primary Education).

Melissa Moore and Marissa Mohamed of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, entered university with the same destination already in mind.

The sisters began their studies at UG's Tain Campus in 2024, each pursuing a different specialisation within the Faculty of Education and Humanities. Melissa is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) English, while Marissa is graduating with a Bachelor of Education (Primary Education). Both earned distinctions and are the first in their family to graduate from a university.

Their journey was built around familiar routines: travelling to campus together, discussing assignments, keeping track of deadlines and occasionally turning study sessions into conversations. "Sometimes we were both focused, and other times we would get distracted by conversations, but somehow we always managed to get the work done," they explained.

Behind those ordinary moments were the sacrifices of a family that provided the time, comfort and resources needed to sustain their studies. Balancing their studies with personal responsibilities was not always easy, but the sisters remained committed to the goal they had set together.

Seeing each other cross the stage, they said, will be “a proud reminder that we started this journey together and get to finish it side by side.”

Christine Rogers (left) will graduate with a Commonwealth Master in Business Administration, while Yinnka Rogers (centre) and Blessing Hopkinson (right) will graduate with Associate Degrees in Social Work.

For Yinnka Rogers, Blessing Hopkinson and Christine Rogers, their university experience has carried its own unexpected moments, including a secret that most people at UG did not know. Yinnka and Blessing, sisters who are set to graduate with distinctions and Associate Degrees in Social Work from the Faculty of Social Sciences, allowed most people to believe they were friends so that no one would treat them differently.

Yinnka recalled looking up during one examination and catching Blessing removing her wig. She laughed, then prayed silently for her sister to be successful at the exam, which she did. “It is one of those university memories I will always laugh about,” Yinnka shared.

At 34, Yinnka is graduating alongside Blessing, 23, while their sister Christine, 30, is graduating with a Commonwealth Master in Business Administration from the same faculty.

Christine had already opened the university door for the family. In 2022, she became the first in their family to graduate from UG, earning a Diploma in Public Management. "You motivated me to attend the University of Guyana and pursue goals I once thought were beyond my reach," Yinnka said to Christine.

The sisters never planned to graduate together, but their journeys became closely intertwined through academic support and personal encouragement.

For Yinnka, the demands of her practicum at the Georgetown Public Hospital were particularly difficult. Night shifts, practicum hours from 08:00hrs to 16:00hrs, caring for her children and completing assignments left little room for rest. Blessing's encouragement helped her remain focused on the reason she had started.

Blessing said she was proud of how far Yinnka had come after surviving domestic violence and refusing to let her past define her future. Yinnka, in turn, thanked Blessing for always being there to support her whenever she needed someone to motivate and uplift her.

Christine also encountered moments of doubt during her MBA research project, while Blessing struggled most with presentations. Yinnka's placement on the Dean's Honour Roll for 2024/2025 gave the family another reason for collective celebration.Their mother's lesson about supporting rather than competing with one another has remained central to the family. "When one of us succeeds, we all celebrate,"they said.

Yinnka and Blessing are continuing towards bachelor's degrees in Social Work, with Yinnka hoping to become a medical social worker. Christine hopes to continue advancing academically and professionally.

These siblings will be among more than 3,700 graduands who will proudly walk the graduation stage at UG's upcoming 60th Convocation. There will be four ceremonies at the Turkeyen Campus on November 17 and 18, and one in Berbice at the institution’s Tain Campus on November 20. Additionally, the graduation ceremony for UG’s Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (Extra-Mural arm) will be held on November 28, 2026. All ceremonies will be streamed live on UG's Facebook page and the UG Broadcasting Service. The University of Guyana congratulates these graduands and their families on achieving this important milestone.