Georgetown, Guyana — For 25-year-old media professional Antonio Dey, graduating from the University of Guyana wasn’t just a formality. It was the end of a long, emotionally draining journey that tested his faith, his endurance, and his will to keep going.
Antonio works in the fast-moving news world, often juggling late-night assignments and early-morning classes. He admits there were moments during his first year when he wondered whether he had made the right choice.
“There were times in class where I simply couldn’t focus,” he said. “Between covering press conferences and trying to keep up with coursework, I felt overwhelmed.”
One night stands out in his memory. After covering a marathon session of Parliament that stretched for hours, he returned home with no time to study for a sociology exam scheduled the very next morning.
“I was shocked when I passed. That was nothing but God,” he said, still sounding relieved.
But professional pressures weren’t his only battle. Just before an important assessment, Antonio received heartbreaking news while at work, his grandmother had died.
“She always supported my studies. Losing her felt like the ground disappearing beneath me,” he shared. Even now, he wishes she could have been present to witness his proudest moment.
His parents, Alexis and Adrian, refused to let him quit.
“My mother reminded me constantly that giving up was not an option,” he said.
He also leaned on close friends who helped him pray through low points and push through demanding courses. One of the toughest challenges was English 1105, which left him with a grade he admits “felt like a slap.”
“I actually wrote the Vice-Chancellor,” he said with a laugh. “I redid the course, earned a B, and that improved my GPA.”
After years of obstacles, late nights, and moments of doubt, Antonio finished with a 3.2 GPA, and a renewed belief in himself.
“There were times I felt like collapsing,” he said. “But I kept going. I’m proud of that.”
Now in his third year pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies, the former St. Joseph High student has his sights set on the law profession as his next big goal.
He extended heartfelt thanks to his support system, a long list of friends who stood with him at every turn, including Donella Nicholson (now Roberts), Eden Corbin, Kheshena Manbodh, Keshun Wright, Tyriq Scott, Anelia Bacchus, Anjali Owrow, and Shane Wagner.
For Antonio, this degree isn’t just a credential. It is a victory over adversity, a reminder that determination, prayer, and the right people in your corner can carry you through the hardest battles.
And it is only the beginning.
