The University of the West Indies, Mona

"The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night" (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). This quote essentially reflects Richard Sutherland’s embodied attitude adapted to manage his journey of upward mobility through academics and research. Born on December 2nd, 1986 to a humble household in the Parish of St. Catherine Jamaica, Sutherland is driven to make a sustained positive impact on society through research and development. One among five boys, Sutherland is no stranger to a competitive world. His journey stirred him to attain seven CXC subjects in 2004, among which he was awarded the 4th highest in Jamaica for his performance in Visual Arts. Enthused by this accomplishment, Sutherland continued his drive towards academic triumph by successfully completing five CAPE subjects in 2006 at the St Jago High School.

It then became apparent that through dedication and hard work, no obstacle was too great for young Sutherland to overcome. His eagerness for success was maintained even after he enrolled in the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 2007, where he continued to make his imprint as a leader, a motivator and a facilitator of change. In 2008, he established and led the Young Investor’s Club to aid in creating investor awareness among fellow UWI students. An inducted member in 2008, Sutherland was elected president of the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Honours Society for the academic year 2009 to 2010. Additionally, Sutherland was elected Guild representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2008, which proved him to be one admired by many. An excellent leader, Sutherland was awarded the certificate for outstanding leadership from the UWI in 2010. Sutherland’s determination and motivation was later awarded with the Principal’s Scholarship for Excellence for the years 2008 through to 2010.

A creative problem solver with strong analytical and computational skills, Sutherland was rewarded with a first class honours for his admirable performance in attaining his BSc in Business, Economics and Social Statistics. This success paved the path for Sutherland to pursue and achieve an MSc in Economics which was funded by way of an award by the Department of Economics, UWI.

Today, Richard Sutherland continues his preparation for a successful career in Economics by garnering crucial experience through assisting a number of senior lecturers do research at the UWI. He himself has already published two of three empirical economic papers done on a three months internship programme at the Central Bank of Barbados in the summer of 2011. Sutherland stands as an example to many through his roles as a youth leader, a researcher and a tutor. He has managed to impact many lives through his willingness to help and passion to see others succeed. Still on the path towards upward mobility, Richard Sutherland portrays the life of a young man with a purpose which he hopes to extend to his community and country at large.