QC Alumni elects first woman president

Sep 14, 2016 News

The Queen’s College of Guyana Alumni Association (NY), Inc. (“QCAANY”) created history by unanimously electing Karen Wharton as its first woman President. The election came during its annual general meeting on Sunday, in

Karen Wharton

New York.
With her election, Ms. Wharton also became the first female to lead a Queen’s College alumni association. This comes 41 years after the school first opened its doors to girls and during a year in which QCAANY is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Also elected to the 2016-2017 Executive Committee were Mr. Michael Jones (Vice-President), Mr. Gordon Wilson (Secretary), Mr. Terrence Campbell (Treasurer), Ms. Saran Nurse (Organizing Secretary) and Dr. Terrence Blackman (Assistant Secretary/Treasurer).
Effusively praising outgoing president, Mr. John Campbell, for his strength and leadership, Ms. Wharton credited him with shepherding the Association during a time of transition. She pledged continuity for the initiatives that are underway while acknowledging the significant symbolism of her election.
Among her immediate goals is the expansion of public-private-philanthropic partnerships in order to more efficiently and cost-effectively support Queen’s College and in so doing, the people of Guyana.
She also plans to increase the engagement of QC alumni in the diaspora and to assist recent QC graduates, living in the tri-state area, during their transition to North American life.
Ms. Wharton has been a member of QCAANY since 1993. She has served on the Executive Committee in several different capacities and on a variety of projects. Most recently, she facilitated “This is Ours”, a visual literacy initiative that engaged students from Bina Hill Institute in North Rupununi and Queen’s College in Georgetown. This resulted in the publishing of a book in 2015.
She also assisted with the 2016 Math and Robotics summer camp that was led by Dr. Blackman, Ms. Nurse and Mr. Campbell. However, when asked of which initiative she is most proud, Ms. Wharton immediately recalled the Association’s push in 2004 to provide Internet service to QC. She noted that creating a mechanism for students to access the internet, regardless of their socio-economic status, is paramount to bridging the digital divide.
“Making investments that are supported by data is something that our Association believes in,” Ms. Wharton said. To that end, she noted that the report on the first phase of a comprehensive needs assessment of QC undertaken by Dr. Michelle Mickle-Foster (QC alumna), on behalf of the Association and at the request of Mr. Campbell, was completed. The recently published report will be used to inform the Association’s giving.
Karen Wharton is active in Guyanese community. She is an Education Resource Ambassador supporting The University of Guyana’s Renaissance. Specifically, she’s a member of UG’s NY Support Group.
Earlier this year, she served on the Symposium Sub-Committee, 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations Committee, New York where she helped organize The National Symposium Series that was held during Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in Georgetown and New York. Additionally, she is a Founding Member of the Queens-based Guyana Jamaica Friendship Association where she served as its first Public Relations Officer.
Ms. Wharton attended Queen’s College from 1976 to1981. She is a graduate of Boston University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and of Pace University with a M.S. in Telecommunications. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, James Blain, and their 16-year old daughter, Kali.