Taking its name from the famed avian icon of the morning, the charity-minded Fraternity of Roosters of Taylor Hall from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is setting out to spread its wings through collaboration with the University of West Georgia (UWG) in the United States.

The partnership took off during last year and was one of the main high points of the 2024 calendar for both organisations, the central plank of which is to foster cultural and academic exchanges, as well as to provide exposure to the differences in student life between the two institutions.

The 71-year-old Fraternity of Roosters, which describes itself as a distinguished collegiate fraternal organisation of men affiliated with Block C on Taylor Hall, comprises primarily of students and alumni of The UWI, Mona Campus who hail from Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region.

“In addition to promoting brotherhood, leadership and academic excellence, we have a strong commitment to philanthropic work as is carried out by our charitable arm known as The Roosters’ NEST, or Nurture, Empower, Support, Transform,” says Dr Marc-Andre Allen, resident advisor, Taylor Hall and The Fraternity of Roosters.

In March of 2024, four students and a member of faculty from the UWG visited Mona as part of the first leg of the programme exchange, later expressing their excitement over their stay in Jamaica.

The visiting students were housed at Block C, Taylor Hall, home base of The Fraternity of Roosters and participated in campus activities, inclusive of UWI Carnival; panel discussions; meetings with members of UWI’s student leadership and administration; attending some local classes; topped off by trips to the Bob Marley Museum, Liberty Hall and Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

Eight months later, in October, it was the turn of four members of the Fraternity of Roosters and residents of Taylor Hall to travel to the UWG, for a near similar experience.

The Caribbean students went sightseeing at the Georgia Aquarium, Centennial Park and the Martin Luther King Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. From their residence on the campus at the Greek Village, they were able to interact with UWG students inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, they participated in classroom discussions and made meaningful contributions, enriching the cultural exposure of the students at UWG, Dr Allen said.

The UWI Mona students were able to meet with the UWG’s student government, faculty members and members of the university’s administration. As the week coincided with UWG’s Homecoming Week, they were engaged in several activities including sports, performing arts and Greek Life events.

It was “a life-changing experience”, according to one of the Mona students who confesses that he is usually very reserved but found himself being able to interact a lot with the students at UWG. He added that the visit had a profound impact on his outlook on life and social engagement.

Another of the UWI students said he enjoyed the interaction with other fraternities and sororities and that he was excited by the potential for career growth that the university offers to its students. Others mentioned that the classroom discussions opened their minds to the kind of intellectual discourse that transcends specified course materials, “allowing for critical thinking to be applied”.

The Fraternity of Roosters is claiming a first in Jamaican history for a local collegiate fraternity and hall of residence organising such an initiative. For that, Taylor Hall received support from Student Services and Development (SSD) Manager Athol Hamilton and SSD Director Jason Mckenzie.

“This initiative would also not have been possible without the immense support from Dr Michael Hester from the University of West Georgia with whom we collaborated to make this dream a reality,” said Dr Allen.

“It is the hope of The Fraternity of Roosters and the other stakeholders that this partnership will continue as it has significant learning outcomes for the students bilaterally as well as for the sharing of ideas and initiatives between two great institutions of higher education,” he suggested.

Others who contributed to the success of the project included Ackeem Clarke, Taylor Hall alumnus and senior member of The Fraternity of Roosters; The UWI Mona Administration; UWG debate director; UWG coordinator, African American Male Initiative; UWI Mona Exchange Students; Seandell Langdon; Taylor Hall Committee; Leon Lewis; and Entombo Gombele Campbell.

The charity events previously promoted by the Fraternity of Roosters included presentation of care packages for Grove Primary School students in Gordon Town, St Andrew, during the COVID-19 outbreak; and the Salvation Army School for the Blind in Kingston through visits to the school, donating of appliances, toiletries, food items and responding to other urgent requests.

The latter initiative established a solid relationship between the fraternity and the students and staff of the Salvation Army School which has been pivotal in rescuing large numbers of blind Jamaicans who have gone on to live very satisfying and productive lives, The Fraternity noted.

The UWI Fraternity of Roosters hosting members of the University of West Georgia, United States, at the Mona campus, St Andrew last year.