This year marks 50 years since Queen’s College of Guyana opened its doors to female students. To celebrate this important milestone, the school is honouring eight of its most inspiring female graduates with the Distinguished Jubilee Award. These awards will be presented at a special Anniversary Gala on Saturday, May 17, at Terrace-on-the-Park in Queens, New York.
Celebrating the First Female Vice Chancellor of University of Guyana
Dr. Paloma Mohamed, a 1986 graduate of Queen’s College, is one of the women being honoured. She is the current and first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana in its 60-year history. Dr. Mohamed is a well-known academic, speaker, and leader. She studied at the University of Guyana, University of the West Indies, Harvard, and Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
She has written or edited 11 books and led many important education and health projects in the Caribbean. She also received several national awards, including the Presidential Medal of Service and the Golden Arrow of Achievement.
Grace Aneiza Ali: Championing Guyanese Culture
Grace Aneiza Ali, a 1995 graduate, is a global curator and author who works to highlight Guyanese stories. Her book Liminal Spaces is the first of its kind, sharing personal stories of migration and identity from Guyanese women. Her work has gained international respect for promoting Guyanese culture.
Naomi Barkoye: A Young Sports Star and Scholar
Naomi Barkoye, a 2024 graduate, has already achieved great things at a young age. She played cricket for Guyana’s Women’s Under-19 team and excelled in her exams with 14 CSEC Grade 1s and 8 CAPE Grade 1s. She also led several school sports and academic clubs. Naomi is now studying law at the University of Guyana.
Moriah Hamilton: Future Global Leader
Moriah Hamilton is a 2025 graduate of Howard University and will soon become a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in China. This program is very competitive, and she was one of only 10 selected from 5,000 applicants. She studied civil and environmental engineering and aims to become a global leader in environmental issues.
Dr. Jo’Ann Jackson: A Trusted Medical Leader
Dr. Jo’Ann Jackson, who graduated in 1992, is a top doctor in Washington, DC. She works in women’s health and has been named a “Top Doctor” by Washingtonian magazine since 2018. She manages several clinics and helps women of all ages with their health needs.
Melanie McTurk-Kirkpatrick: Conservation Advocate
Melanie McTurk-Kirkpatrick, also a 1992 graduate, is a leader in sustainable tourism in Guyana. She manages Karanambu Lodge and helps protect the environment in the Rupununi region. She also leads the Protected Areas Trust of Guyana, promoting eco-tourism and nature conservation.
Yvonne Nelson Eastman: From Athlete to Educator
Yvonne Nelson Eastman was among the first girls to attend Queen’s College in 1975. She went on to become a top athlete and teacher. She won several international medals for Guyana and now works in education in New York, helping guide other teachers.
Sonya Indira Roopnauth: Expert in Finance and Public Service
Sonya Roopnauth, who graduated in 1989, has served in top roles in Guyana’s government, including as Budget Director at the Ministry of Finance. She studied at Columbia University and Harvard, focusing on budgeting, development, and policy planning. She also holds the Golden Arrow of Achievement for her service.
Honouring 50 Years of Co-Education at Queen’s College
Queen’s College started admitting girls in 1975, 130 years after it was founded as an all-boys school. Within two years, all grades were fully co-educational. Since then, the girls of Queen’s College have gone on to become leaders, thinkers, and achievers.
John Campbell, President of the Queen’s College Alumni Association (New York Chapter), said these women show the true spirit of excellence, leadership, and service that the school stands for. He added that their success is one of the greatest results of co-education at the school over the past 50 years.
The honorees were selected from a global list of outstanding nominees. The Gala, hosted by Selwyn Hinds and Corinne Locke, will raise funds to support development projects for Queen’s College in Guyana.
The Distinguished Jubilee Awards honour not just individual success, but also the power of education and equality. These eight women show how strong, smart, and capable the girls of Queen’s College have become over the past 50 years. Their achievements remind us that when schools open their doors to all, the entire community grows stronger. The awards are a celebration of hard work, leadership, and a bright future for Guyana.
