I chose to study at the Graduate Institute for a plethora of reasons. Firstly, its close proximity to international and non-governmental organisations has been extremely advantageous to me in terms of accessing research and internship opportunities.

Additionally, the diverse faculty and staff have allowed me to embrace my research interests while also exposing me to new and innovative ways of thinking about traditional concepts and theories, thus broadening my perspective on world affairs.

Furthermore, the international composition of the student body has made it possible for me to interact with people from various backgrounds, exposing me to manifold cultures and enhancing my view of the world.

Finally, having the opportunity to reside in International Geneva and being able to travel freely to different countries has been remarkable, especially since this was my first time in Europe!

I am grateful and appreciative to be awarded the Graduate Institute Community Scholarship. With this financial assistance, I have been able to pursue my postgraduate studies in Switzerland and realise my professional ambition.

This scholarship has given me the opportunity to devote my full and undivided attention to two main goals: achieving academic excellence in my master's programme and contributing to the limited literature formulated on the Caribbean region.

My research interest lies in the interaction of international organisations and small island developing states. While international organisations were created to facilitate cooperation to address global issues, recent developments have shown that small island developing states, usually because of their limited resources and financial backing, are often rendered voiceless in the decision-making process.

The main premise of global governance calls for collaboration, consensus and partnership between states. However, the constant polarisation and dichotomy between the ‘powerful’ and the ‘powerless’ states in these organisations limits the success of global governance and the effectiveness of these international organisations in achieving their mandate.

This is an area which I am deeply interested in and intend to build on for my master’s dissertation.

My professional aspiration is to pursue an academic career in research and postgraduate teaching. Once I have completed my master’s degree, I intend to pursue a PhD in International Relations and Political Science, which will allow me to realise my professional aspirations.

I hope that my research will not only benefit the academic community in Geneva, but also inspire individuals to become more intrigued and interested in the Caribbean, both on an intellectual and personal level.