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UCC Business Model Competition Crowns Calvero MC Top Winner Among Five AI-Driven Ventures

 

UCC Business Model Competition Crowns Calvero MC Top Winner Among Five AI-Driven Ventures

UCC Students Wins Business Model Competition

Members of the winning team Calvero MC celebrate their first-place finish in the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean’s (UCC) annual Business Model Competition, held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the UCC main campus. Hosted by the UCC Business Development & Consulting Institute (BDCI) and sponsored by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), the competition highlighted artificial intelligence, innovation and entrepreneurship. Sharing in the moment is, from left, Giovanni Maddix, Project Officer at DBJ, Roshane Campbell, Paul Brown, Brithny Hamilton, Tajae McDurmoth, and Adonio Palmer.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - Wednesday, April 15, 2026: The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) Business Development and Consulting Institute (BDCI) hosted its annual Business Model Competition on Friday, April 10, 2026, at its Worthington Avenue campus. The event featured a panel discussion and business pitch competition focused on the future of entrepreneurship through the integration of artificial intelligence.

Bulletin 1 - Graduation 2026

Date Published: 
Friday, March 20, 2026
Graduation 2026

Graduation Bulletin #1

Dear 2026 Graduand, congratulations on the completion of your designated programme. Please read this bulletin carefully and in full so you do not miss any important information about your commencement ceremony.

Graduation Date, Time & Venue

Date
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Start Time
10:30 A.M.
Venue
National Arena, Kingston

Your name has been added to the list of students whose records have been, or will be, checked to confirm eligibility for graduation in July 2026.

Eligibility Windows

Students who fully complete their programme of study by the periods below will be eligible to graduate:

  • August 2025
  • December 2025
  • May 2026

Application / Booking for Graduation

If you have already made an application for conferral on AEorion for December 2025 / commencement in July 2026, thank you.

The AEorion Graduation Portal is open and will close on June 30, 2026.
Only one graduation application is required for Graduation 2026, whether for December 2025 or July 2026.

If you have not yet applied, please visit the graduation portal on AEorion SMS to book your place at this year’s graduation.

If you have any challenges with making the application, email smsadministrator@ucc.edu.jm.

Movement through the stages of the process has begun and will continue as students are cleared. The Registry clears students up to the Records Approval Stage only; the SFS Department will confirm financial clearance.

The Registry Department, in collaboration with the respective Faculty, will review academic records and student files to determine eligibility. Eligible students will then advance through the different stages of the application process.

Graduation Attendance

All eligible students are required to attend the Commencement Ceremony in July 2026.

Students who are conferred in December 2025, with ceremony, are also required to participate in the July 2026 ceremony.

Graduation Fee

For students who have paid their miscellaneous fees, the graduation fee is covered.

To confirm that you are cleared with respect to the graduation fee, please check with the SFS Department.

Academic, Records, Library & Financial Clearance

All qualified students must be cleared by their Faculty/College/School, the Registry Department, the Library, and the SFS Department to be eligible for Graduation 2026.

Academic

Each student should receive confirmation of academic clearance from their Faculty/College/School. Your Dean, Head of Department, or Programme Advisor is your point of contact.

Records

The Registry checks student records. If documents are incomplete or outstanding, an email will be sent to your UCC student account. Preliminary slips are not mandatory required documents; students may be asked to submit original CXC/CAPE certificates or an official transcript from the CXC/CSEC/CAPE office.

Library

The Library will verify whether a student is in good standing and provide clearance or advise if there is any outstanding obligation.

Financial

The Student Financial Services (SFS) Department must confirm financial clearance before the release of graduation certificates, letters, transcripts, or any other official documents.

Important: The Registry will not process or release any document to or for a student who has any of the above matters outstanding.

Distribution of Graduation Certificates

Students eligible for December 2025 conferral

Students who completed their programme of study by August (Summer) or December (Fall) 2025 are eligible for the December 31, 2025 conferral, without ceremony, and will receive their graduation certificate on or after March 2, 2026, which is two months after the official conferral date.

Students eligible by April/May 2026

Students who complete their programme by April/May (Spring) 2026 will receive their certificate during the week following graduation.

Note: All eligible students are expected to participate in the July 2026 Commencement Ceremony, whether they became eligible from August 2025, December 2025, or May 2026.

Collection of Regalia

Graduands will be advised at a later date when to collect their graduation regalia from their affiliated campus.

There will be no distribution of graduation regalia on the day of graduation.

Regalia care instructions

  1. Depending on the programme completed, each package should include a black or blue gown, an affiliated hood or stole (depending on the level completed), and a mortar board.
  2. Because of the packaging, the gown may be crushed. Carefully iron or steam-press the gown on low heat on the inside of the garment. Replacement gowns will not be provided, so please treat your gown with care.

Photo Shoot Sessions

The photographer will accommodate students at their campuses on the dates and times below.

Montego Bay

Sunday, March 15, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Ocho Rios

Sunday, March 15, 2026
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Mandeville

Sunday, March 22, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

May Pen

Sunday, March 22, 2026
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Kingston

Monday, March 23, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Kingston

Tuesday, March 24, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

2025/2026 Graduation Portrait Package

Payment must be made in cash directly to the photographer. No card machine will be available.

Package Price
JM$7,000.00
  • One 8” x 12”
  • One 5” x 7”
  • One 4” x 6”
  • Eight 2” x 3”
  • One digital photo

Important Photo Session Notes

  • No make-up artist will be available on any campus, so please come prepared for your photo session.
  • Prepare for the possibility of an extended wait.
  • For the wellbeing of all individuals, graduands are encouraged to sanitize their hands and practise social distancing of at least 6 feet apart.
All graduands are required to complete the photo/attendance form, whether or not they intend to take photos.

Graduation Photo / Attendance Form

Dress Code

All graduands are expected to follow the dress code policy for the July 2026 commencement ceremony and the photo sessions scheduled for March 15 and March 22-24, 2026. The full policy document will be shared with each graduand on the UCC website.

Male

For both the ceremony and photo sessions, graduands are required to wear a white dress shirt, any colour tie, and black or dark pants.

Female

For the ceremony, graduands are required to wear a white or cream dress or suit, or a tailored pants suit.

For photo sessions, only the top section of the regalia will be photographed, so graduands are required to wear a white or cream top.

Graduation Hat (Mortar Board)

As part of the graduation regalia, it is mandatory to wear a mortar board. Hairstyles should be chosen to accommodate the hat, and hair should be styled away from the face and, if possible, off the shoulders to enable proper placement.

Graduands may decorate the mortar board, but only in keeping with the dignity of the ceremony and the guidelines below.

Permitted

  • Decorations may be placed only on the flat top of the UCC-issued black or blue mortar board.
  • Decorations must allow for the tassel to be attached properly.

Not Permitted

  • Decorations may not hang off the sides of the hat.
  • Large 3-D embellishments that obstruct the view of others are prohibited.
  • Advertisements, hate speech, expletives, obscenity, profanity, vulgarity, or derogatory content are prohibited.
  • Words, pictures, or items targeting or slandering any individual, institution, faculty member, staff member, or student are prohibited.
  • Decorations on the graduation gown and hood are strictly prohibited.

Need Help?

For further assistance, please contact the Graduation Committee.

Graduation Committee
University of the Commonwealth Caribbean

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