DSU widens global presence with University of Belize alliance

DSU and the University of Belize signed their memorandum of understanding on March 11.

Delaware State University has created a partnership it hopes will lead to future opportunities in Belize, a nation on the eastern coast of Central America.

“It opens the door to collaborative activities,” said Carlos Holmes, DSU’s director of news services. “This could range from anything from joint events, joint presentations, joint research, joint studies, it could indeed involve possible student exchange, all these things are possible.”

Earlier this week, DSU President Tony Allen and University of Belize President Vincent Palacio signed a memorandum of understanding affirming the intentions of both institutions to engage each other in collaborative activities.

One of the programs the University of Belize is interested in, among others, is DSU’s nursing program.

DSU President Tony Allen and University of Belize President Vincent R. Palacio, seated, prepare to sign an agreement. Standing behind them are, from left, DSU’s Dr. Mariki Alvarez; Tony Boyle; Belize Ambassador to the U.S. His Excellency Lynn Raymond Young; DSU Provost Saundra DeLauder, UB’s Elbert H. Irving; Maximiliano Ortega Jr.; and DSU’s Dean Cherese Winstead Casson.

Belize and Jamaica

There’s no direct connection between the two, or the state of Delaware and Belize, but DSU has its fingerprint on many places around the globe. 

Also this week, DSU announced that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness will be the keynote speaker at this year’s graduate commencement ceremony.

Holness will be the first prime minister to speak at a DSU commencement event.

His appearance reflects the university’s academic relationship with the country.

“That memorandum of understanding, which I believe was signed in 2018, opened the door to academic programs down there,” Holmes said. “Now we offer master’s degrees and doctoral degrees in education leadership down there, and a master of business administration degree down there as well as associate degree programs.”

Holmes noted that DSU also offers accounting degrees at a Chinese university. 

Jarek Rutz

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.