A New Rector for UNIF

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Rosemary Edwards, a medical doctor from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, has moved to Haiti to become the next rector of UNIF. Rosemary has quite a job in front of her—Haiti has never had a rural university before, and, looking at the challenges we are faced with, it is not difficult to understand why. Basic infrastructure such as water, roads, and electricity are lacking, professors are reluctant to leave the city, and everything is made more expensive by transportation costs. Still, each of these complaints is in turn a justification for building a university in the mountains and tackling Haiti’s systemic problems. 80% of Haiti’s professional workforce chooses to leave the country, and this is at least partially a result of having to leave one’s hometown to study in the first place. Since most of Haiti is mountainous, it only makes sense to educate professionals in the mountains.

Rosemary’s arrival is a reminder of what so many people are giving up to help make UNIF a reality. She left behind her home, her family, and her career as she knew it to become a part of the UNIF team. In the U.S., the members of the UNIF USA Committee are committing their time, energy, and resources to a project that will never benefit them materially. In Haiti, our professors, students, and staff have placed their trust in this young university, and they are making every effort to see that it becomes a success. UNIF is a reminder that most things that are worthwhile only come with sacrifice.