Bahamian Student Wins Shanghai
Music Festival
Twenty-three
year old Keson B. Tinker, a third year student of Donghua University in
Shanghai, China (and a member of the Centreville Seventh-day Adventist
Church, Nassau, The Bahamas) was officially crowned first place champion
of the 2007 Shanghai All State Music Festival. He represented the 30,000
students, faculty and staff of Donghua University and was the first
foreigner to ever make it to the All State in the history of the
competition. He performed a classical Chinese song by famous Hong Kong
singer, Zhang Xueyou.
In the summer of 2006, Keson won first place at
the first Annual Phoenix Chinese Song Competition held by the International
Cultural Exchange School of Donghua University. In the winter of that same
year, he represented the International Student body to compete in the 27th
Annual “Top 10 Singers” Finals, competing against the top singers from all
schools and departments in the Performing Arts Center at the Donghua campus
in Sonjiang City, China. He performed the same piece by Zhang Xueyou and
took home the first place prize once again.
As the university’s top singer, he represented
the entire student body, faculty and staff at the Shanghai All State Music
competition where he competed against the top singers from all the
Universities in the city and won first place for his Universtiy. In late
February 2007, he was chosen to represent Donghua at the 2007 International
Students Home Coming Banquet, organized by the Shanghai Municipal
Government, where he thrilled the audience with a stunning rendition of
popular Chinese aria.
Keson Tinker, son of Karen and Kevin Tinker of Nassau, Bahamas, is currently
pursuing his Bachelors degree in Asian Studies with a minor in Japanese and
Korean Language and Culture. He is President of the Class of 2009 and Vice
President of the newly formed International Student Association of Donghua
University. He intends to go on to read for a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy
and Foreign Affairs with concentration in Chinese Law, and hopefully
continue to read for his Ph.D in Diplomacy with concentration in Public
Relations. Please continue to pray that God will continue to
guide this promising young man. Contact Keson keson_tinker at
hotmail dot com
Maybree Hanna Dies
Maybree Hanna, a sister to Pastor Roy Hanna and
Thelma Hanna of Nassau, passed away on Sabbath, March 29, 2008, at the home
of her sister, Thelma Hanna. We extend our sympathies to the family
during this time of loss.
Desmond and Kendra are Engaged
Bahamians, Desmond
Sturrurp and Kendra Miller, senior students at Antillean Adventist
University, Puerto Rico, got engaged on Sabbath, March 29, 2008. The couple
will be married in 2009. Desmond asked Kendra to be his wife before a
packed church during the Divine Hour at the University and just before
Pastor Barrington Brennen gave the Sabbath sermon. Pastor Brennen has been
on the campus for one week, sharing with the students and faculty about the
dynamics of relationships. Desmond is a theology major and will be working
after graduation in May 2008 in the North Bahamas Mission, Grand Bahama.
Kendra is a business major and will be employed after graduation at Deloitte
& Touche in The Bahamas. (Desmond and Kendra in photo below on Sabbath,
March 29, 2008 when Desmond asked Kendra to marry him.)
Bahamian Heads Student Newspaper at NCU
Former
president of the Bahamian Bermudian Caymanian and Turks and Caicos Club (BBCTI)
at Northern Caribbean University, Miguel D. Taylor, is now acting editor in
chief of the school's student newspaper--The Hilltop Trumpet. This is the
first time Miguel Taylor has stepped up to serve on the campus since his
much talked about resignation as President of the BBCTI Club two years ago.
A few members of the choir claimed there was a lack of support from the
members, which negatively impacted his image as a leader and caused his
dismissal from the position of director back in September, 2007.
The
newspaper, which is operated under the United Student Movement (USM), has
been dormant for sometime now due to managerial difficulties. The USM saw
fit to invest responsibility of running the paper to Mr. Taylor, who is
believed to be very efficient, a visionary and driver of strategies. Mr.
Taylor brings his expertise as a former Cub Scout reporter for The Nassau
Guardian/Andros Chronicle, as well as a former reporter and assistant to the
chief editor of The Hilltop Trumpet in previous years. In stating what he
intends to do, Mr. Taylor said: “I will seek to change the face of the paper,
in terms of its perception among the students. I want it to represent all
aspects of student life on campus and not just be a paper that dominates
with contents surrounding a Christian theme. It is a student newspaper, and
it should represent that in its entirety; but I also want to bring more news
content."
In
response to critics who say it is already a late start in the semester, Mr.
Taylor contends that such an issue is not a factor. . . "We will get it
out!" He further stated: "The plan is to produce two volumes of the paper
before the end of the semester. I have given a deadline to the USM president
and the first issue will be out in 12 days, and then the other in 15. The
USM president has assured and provided me with the necessary equipment to do
the work, and I also have their support. I intend not to disappoint them."
Miguel D. Taylor is a final year Mass Communications major at NCU with a
minor in Law and Political Science. Over the years he has served in several
student leadership positions namely: president, vice president, and
treasurer of BBCTI Club, former member of the Presidents Roundtable of
Students, former member of the Student Senate, former VP of Academics-
Consortium of Communications, History, English, Geography, Music, Arts and
Pre-College (C-CHEGMAP), former PRO-International Students Assoc. (ISA), and
he is the immediate past director of the Inspirational Choir. We
congratulate him on his promotion and wish him great success. Miguel Taylor
is a member of the Freeport Seventh-day Adventist Church, Grand Bahamas, The
Bahamas.
Bahamians Students at Antillean Adventist University Excited for Jesus
The nine Bahamian
students at Antillean Adventist University, Puerto Rico, are all doing well
and are excited for Jesus. It was a pleasure to see them participating in
school and church activities on campus. Some of them are involved in church
activities through singing and signing in services.
