MANDEVILLE, Manchester — President of the Mandeville-headquartered Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Dr Trevor Gardner, was recently recognised for his service to the educational institution as his moment to demit office draws near.

Gardner’s tenure will end in August when dental surgeon and pharmacologist Dr Lincoln Edwards will officially take up leadership.

Edwards is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and Loma Linda University in the United States. He has served as an assistant professor in the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry at Loma Linda University, and is currently an associate professor at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Dentistry in Houston.

He was a lecturer in chemistry and mathematics at NCU before leaving Jamaica in 1993.

Edwards is said to be an experienced lay preacher and has served in various capacities within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The event at the NCU Gymnatorium, where farewell was done for Gardner and his wife Patricia, and where Edwards was introduced, was a long service, retiree recognition and service excellence awards banquet organised by the board of governors.

Chairman of the board of governors, Pastor Everett Brown, commended Gardner for his work.

“You have remained firm and committed to your Christian values and to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and I wish to laud you for that. You are, in my opinion, the consummate professional, a committed servant and Christian leader,” he said.

Brown added: “Ordinary men and women would crumble under the challenges that you have had to deal with as you lead this university…”

Professor Marilyn Anderson, who was one of 16 retirees, said that in forging forward with the strategic goals during the period 2012-2016 with Gardner at the helm, NCU graduated 3,000 students and important memoranda of understanding in sectors such as science, technology and business were signed.

The Endowment Foundation at NCU has reportedly grown by 79 per cent over three years. Chairman of the foundation’s board of directors, Dr Neville Gallimore, credited Gardner, who he said contributed to it “heavily” from his own salary.

For the university, funds from the Endowment Foundation enable infrastructure and programme development, and also provide qualified students to benefit from financing to complete their studies through scholarships.

Gardner assured the gathering that though moving on, he is committed to add to the continued development of NCU.

“We will continue to work in different capacities together, I am absolutely sure. I am committed to continue to contribute to the advancement of this institution. NCU will never diminish,” he said.