UWI Alumni Association’s New York Chapter presents 2020 Pelican Award to Dr. Godfrey Gibbison

The UWI Alumni Association’s New York Chapter will present its 2020 Pelican Award to Dr. Godfrey Gibbison Dean, School of Professional Studies, College of Charleston and Interim Dean of the Graduate School, University of Charleston.

He joins an illustrious cohort of distinguished graduates who have been recognised by the Alumni Association for their contribution in their specific spheres of work and
the society at large. Recent past distinguished Pelican honorees include Mr. Marlon James author
and 2015 winner of the Man Booker Prize, the UK’s most prestigious literary award and Her
Excellency Penelope Beckles – Permanent Representative from the twin Island Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations and Chair of UN Women. The award will be presented on February 19, 2020 at the American Foundation for The UWI, Legacy Awards Gala,

From the community of Contrivance, Manchester Jamaica, Dr. Gibbison attended Knox College
and Manchester High School prior to reading for a degree in Economics at the Mona Campus of
The UWI. He graduated with honours and went on to the Iowa State University on a Fulbright

Scholarship where he attained a master’s in Agricultural Economics. He then pursued the Doctor
of Philosophy in Economics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia
Tech). Dr. Gibbison taught briefly at the Radford University and Virginia Tech, Blacksburg both in Virginia; and Centre College in Danville Kentucky. This prior to his returning to Jamaica where he taught at The UWI, Mona Campus as lecturer in the Department of Economics. He then transitioned to Georgia Southern University, as Assistant Professor in the School of Economic Development. He subsequently held the posts of Assurance Learning Coordinator in the College of Business, Associate Professor and finally Director of the School of Economic Development. In 2012 he was recruited as the Dean of College of Charleston North Campus and has subsequently taken on the roles of Dean, School of Professional Studies, which was created
through his efforts, and Interim Dean, Graduate School, University of Charleston at the College
of Charleston.

At the College of Charleston Gibbison has worked to strategically position the College to serve
the growing number of Americans who seek to complete a bachelor’s degree as a working adult.
He is responsible for the creation of the first online undergraduate program at College of
Charleston and for substantial policy changes to improve educational access for active duty
military and student veterans. He has also served on the Board of the YMCA of Greater
Charleston, serves on the Ingevity Community Advisory Board and the Charleston Metro
Chamber Education Cabinet. He is a Board member of the Palmetto Goodwill Excel Centre,
which seeks to establish high school for adults across South Carolina.

In addition to teaching, Gibbison has been involved in research and projects that have impact
across the Caribbean region, through consultancies with the World Bank. In Jamaica he was
instrumental in establishing the evaluation mechanism utilised by the Programme of
Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), a social intervention programme designed
to break the intergenerational issues of poverty.