Tourism student graduates at top of class in US

Samuel was born in Massacre
Samuel was born in Massacre

Vernelle Alina Samuel, daughter of Rudolph and Aliana Samuel of Massacre has successfully completed her Bachelors of Science degree in Travel Tourism and Hospitality Management from Johnsons & Wales University in the USA.

She has made both Dominica and her family proud by graduating at the top of the class with a cumulative grade point average of 3.97, earning her the distinction of Summa Cum Laude status.

Samuel was born in Massacre. She attended the Massacre Primary School and Wesley High School before moving on to Trinidad for further studies.

She was able to pursue her course of study via a partial scholarship from the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, plus personal loans.

As a result of her all-round academic excellent performance, this energetic and elegant daughter of Dominica also achieved membership in the national honor societies of Alpha Beta Kappa and Eta Sigma Delta.

Samuel proudly carried the flag of Dominica at this year’s commencement ceremony.

Dominica was one of the 62 countries represented at Johnson and Wales University for the Academic year 2013-2014.

Samuel continues to pursue her career in the hospitality field and is currently doing an internship at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Miami.

Samuel with other students at the graduation ceremony
Samuel with other students at the graduation ceremony

 

 

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44 Comments

  1. td
    June 3, 2014

    Congratulations to you my fellow Dominican. That’s Great.

  2. carib diva 1
    June 1, 2014

    Congrats young lady!
    from one Jean Massacre to the next

  3. Blessed
    June 1, 2014

    Congrats young lady. Way to go!!

  4. Malpardee
    June 1, 2014

    Do not want to seem ignorant or negative. Why is it that most people who come to the us and study they broadcast on news paper what they studied. I have two degrees, was one of the top graduates with honor e. T c. Very intelligent. Never once in my wildest dream thought of publishing my accomplishments. Do not get me wrong, i am not a negative person and i am happy for the young lady , but what is really one’s purpose for publishing your personal achievements on dno? If u had not done bad all Fs, would u have publised it? Again, i am just trying to understand why do da people do that? No offence.

  5. worried
    May 30, 2014

    congrats!!! you are just a wonderful person with an excellent personality. In my opinion, you will do even better in your chosen career

  6. hope
    May 30, 2014

    Oh, how I love to see my people shine… Bravo!

  7. sam
    May 30, 2014

    Alpha beta!! Ok.

  8. Sylvester Cadette
    May 30, 2014

    Wonderful !! CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU – and to your family.

    May you continue to prosper and succeed. this is what dreams are made of and this is what Dominica is endowed with – with have the skill sets to transform our country. wherever our people are we can still utilize their intellect to our advantage for competitiveness.

  9. VeryNice
    May 30, 2014

    Let’s love my gurl..u nice..

  10. LD
    May 30, 2014

    Congrats Shernelle………proud of you…..reach for the stars.

    • LD
      May 30, 2014

      Vernelle……sorry about that!

  11. May 30, 2014

    Full commendation for your hard work

  12. Sane
    May 30, 2014

    Congrats Vernelle !!
    You are such an inspiration to us all.

  13. SHRIMP
    May 29, 2014

    i hope when u return to Dominica u will fit in nicely at

    discover

    When you return to Dominica i hope you will get a big position at Discover Dominica With big pay just like those with nothing some a little (qualification) and getting higher salary than minister . What a waste

  14. Simply the Truth
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulations young lady. What you have studied hard for, you have achieved and reaped the benefit of graduating at the top. Good luck in your future endeavors.

  15. Anonymous
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulations and best wishes Ms. Samuel. Working with you at Ft. Young, I know you would do well in whatever you set your mind to.
    God bless and good luck in your future endeavors.

  16. aa
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulations Varnell.

  17. its time
    May 29, 2014

    Am very happy for you young lady may God help you to keep on doing your best

  18. lol lol
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulations on your acheivements ! Well done Cuz.

  19. sammy
    May 29, 2014

    As a Dominican my self living in Miami I just wanna say am proud of u

  20. Anonymous
    May 29, 2014

    As a Dominican my self living in Miami I just wanna say I proud of u

  21. /abroad
    May 29, 2014

    congratulations young lady, may the grace and mercies of the good God see you through. blessings of the lord be upon you.

  22. Barbara Saunders
    May 29, 2014

    Beautiful sight! Lovely Dominica! Breath of fresh air ! Congratulations! We have so much going for us in terms of achievement of our people and what used to be our caring and encouraging spirit now being made toxic and putrid by all the negativity around us.

    Keep going girl and continue being proud of your country! Now that you have achieved, don’t burn your bridges as you never know when you will need to cross them again.

  23. gg in uk
    May 29, 2014

    Well done grl! Wesley High school produces brains!

    • Simply the Truth
      May 29, 2014

      A far cry from yesteryear. However the students all had brains.

    • May 30, 2014

      “Dominica” produces brains!

  24. William Mc Lawrence
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulations on your achievements. Johnson and Wales University is considered one of the foremost undergraduate learning institutions for Tourism and Hospitality in the USA. Congratulations and best wishes for a successful future and career in Hospitality and Tourism… Remembering the sky is the limit… do not put your eyes of graduate studies, my advice is go on to pursue your Masters Degree now… this would only make you more marketable in the future… God bless :wink:

    • Lucifer
      May 29, 2014

      Johnson and Wales University is considered one of the foremost undergraduate learning institutions for Tourism and Hospitality in the USA.

      A little embellishment is okay but don’t get carried away. Nonetheless, congratulations to Ms. Samuel. With such goods grades perhaps Ms. Samuel go for a graduate degree in the field.

      • VeryNice
        May 30, 2014

        If she smart enough to get a Degree in College and with such a High GPA, I doubt she would take advice from somebody name Lucifer..keep ur Advice to urself..undergrad or not GPA IS GPA any where in the world..

      • Neutral
        June 1, 2014

        Johnson and Wales is considered one of the premier university for hospitality in the United States.

  25. humble_me
    May 29, 2014

    More good stuff from Dominica! God shower’s his blessing on the this beautiful island and its people.

    We are proud of you my child.

  26. Anonymous
    May 29, 2014

    I am so proud of you. 5th Element for Life!!

  27. RT
    May 29, 2014

    CONGRATULATIONS on your wonderful achievement. Keep making your family and Dominica proud! All the best in your future endeavors and may God continue to bless you…

  28. Anonymous
    May 29, 2014

    Well done! Dominicans excel wherever they go. Pity in our own country we cannot see that so we drive our people away to develop other lands whilst ours stays down. and then we call foreigners to do jobs that could be filled in by Dominicans.

    • Simply the Truth
      May 29, 2014

      You are underestimating your own country, your government and students. Are you insinuating that the un/college in D/ca do not produce graduates and the students are not intelligent?
      What is your point about driving our people away .. .? Do you know what you have stated? What do you know?
      How old are you? Do you recall when people commenced migrating to the US, Great Britain and Canada? No one pushed them out. They had the opporturnity to migrate and they embraced the opportunity. They were not starving in D/ca.
      For the US, as I was told, in those days many migrated long before we were born. They traveled by boat since an airport in D/ca was yet to be built. In fact, in those days, this how everyone traveled since airports worldwide were not yet built. There were sea planes but not equipped for passengers.
      Those who returned on vacation to visit their family traveled by boat. It took them one month by boat from the US to D/ca and back. Obviously some could not visit as much as they were eager to do.
      On a visit to D/ca I met a lady who migrated to the US at a young age as she told me. She returned to D/ca after 40 years or more. I met her at a family gathering. We had an interesting conversation. She informed me about her arrival in the US and how they were treated and quarantined upon their arrival on an island called Ellis Island. Years later a movie was made about it. I saw the movie on TV. No one speaks of it. Migrants were not really welcomed then.
      D/cans migrated to Great Britain which opened its doors for those who resided in sovereign countries. They traveled in the hundreds by boat to G.B. I need not elaborate on this.
      Some migrated to Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic (you know the history of those countries under dictatorship governments. Many of them did not return due to hardship and of course died in those countries, never to see their D/can family again.
      Other D/cans migrated to other parts of the Caribbean. Many of them have since passed on,, if not all of them.
      I suggest prior to putting your foot in your mouth, perform a research. In those days D/ca had governments. What did they do for nationals? People hardly complained, if not at all. They tried to do what was best for them. They did not blame the government.
      Today some of you question everything, are negative and nothing done is good enough for you. Who are you anyway? You lack appreciation and gratitude. You are one of those in the D/can society who needs to be transformed and with a change of heart.

  29. T
    May 29, 2014

    I taught her at Wesley High School, congrats V, you made me proud and contine to “Strive for the Best”

  30. Debbie
    May 29, 2014

    Congrats Vernelle and May God continue to bless you on your acheivements.

  31. Elos
    May 29, 2014

    Congratulation Aliña and all the best in ur future endearvours

  32. LOVE767
    May 29, 2014

    767 ! So proud ! Congratulations !

  33. Anonymous
    May 29, 2014

    “….this energetic and elegant daughter of Dominica”

    Was that necessary? And then all you complain about the objectification of women?

    • Simply the Truth
      May 29, 2014

      Does she not look elegant? She is young, energetic and elegant. She deserves the compliment.
      Are you a man or a woman? People will say a man is handsome; for women, they are beautifu.l. What is wrong with that?

  34. gwaj
    May 29, 2014

    I know her! Wow! Congrats my dear!

  35. JAH LOVE
    May 29, 2014

    Congrats vernelle,Im very proud of you

  36. Oh Yes
    May 29, 2014

    Congrats young day. Excellent achievement.

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