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‘There were days they sat in hospital beds together, missing classes. There were nights they studied with fevers, days they attended lectures while exhausted, and moments when the demands felt unbearable.’ The story of many of the graduates of the University of Guyana’s Convocation exercises is a story of perseverance, determination, a test of resolve. One such story shares the struggles of a husband and a wife, both of whom overcame obstacles to earn their place among the graduates. Isaiah and Thilia Somerset, a young couple with dreams of acquiring a university degree, faced an academic journey filled with challenges and obstacles – health issues, financial difficulties, and to crown it all, the challenges that come with an expanding family. However, to their credit, the two were determined to overcome every hurdle and finish the journey they started almost four years ago. According to a UG release, Isaiah will graduate with a degree in biology from the Faculty of Natural Sciences, while Thilia will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the Faculty of Education and Humanities when the University of Guyana hosts its series of Convocation exercises from November 20 to December 6. The release also gave some background into what inspired the husband and wife to pursue academic excellence. Isaiah, who grew up in Linden and now lives in Lodge, Georgetown, with his wife and children, always dreamed of becoming a doctor. “I always wanted to become a doctor from a young age. I am a people person, and I love to help. I think being a doctor would allow me to help people.” That dream almost died when he first came to Georgetown to study chemistry at UG and struggled. “My grades were not good. I took a complete withdrawal from the programme and decided I was not going to study again. My dad has a gold business and I was already prepared to take up that mantle.” But marriage, as it often does, forced a new perspective and inspired a turning point. “After I got married, my wife encouraged me to study again,” Isaiah said. He switched to the BSc Biology programme and life tested his resolve immediately. “I had struggles at work and I was working taxi, so I did not really take it [studies] seriously at first. Added to that, when we had a baby in my first year and another in my final year.” When face-to-face classes resumed, something shifted. “Ms. Ruth Daniels spoke to us about what it means to have a bachelor’s degree. The way she spoke made me realise how serious this is. I decided to get more serious. She really made this degree sound like it mattered,” Isaiah said. For Thilia, a teacher at St. Gabriel’s Primary, motherhood, work, and school collided painfully. “It was chaotic. During my pregnancy I would have nightmares. It got overwhelming because it was a lot. At one point I had to step away from work because I couldn’t manage; I was on one month’s sick leave. I was being pressured at work,” Thilia shared. Then came heartbreak. “My last pregnancy was a twin and we only got one baby, and I believe it was the pressure I was under that affected the other baby,” Thilia disclosed. But despite the pressure, she never lost sight of her goal. “I kept going because I wanted to be someone respectable in society, and I was doing this for my children and my husband,” she asserted with much pride. But fate was not done with them. Their challenges intensified. Illness struck. “After the second year, I went to the interior for two months and came out with malaria,” Isaiah recalled. “When I was writing exams in third year the symptoms started manifesting. I was allergic to one of the medications and was in class scratching all the time.” Thilia added, “At one point we were sharing a container, throwing up at the same time. We were both sick, studying with a new baby.” There were days they sat in hospital beds together, missing classes. There were nights they studied with fevers, days they attended lectures while exhausted, and moments when the demands felt unbearable. But, steadfast in their determination, the young couple moved as one unit. They sacrificed for each other. “We would usually share one computer. One time we took the same elective and had an exam the same day, same time. He allowed me to do my exam first, even when only a little time was left. He sacrificed his grade for me. Thankfully he was allowed to redo his exam another day.” “One time I had a Berbice job with my taxi work, and I did not want to miss my presentation. I pulled over with the customer in the car, did my presentation, then continued to Berbice. Thank God my customer was understanding,” Isiah recalled. When asked what advice they would give to other couples sharing the same journey, Thilia has this to say: “Put God first and everything will fall into place. The devil tempted us a lot. We even went through marriage counselling. We experienced financial difficulties. Some days we didn’t know how we would make it, but we did. God is so good.” And Isaiah encouraged, “Support each other, love each other even when things look hard. Sometimes it might look like there is no hope, but there is. Be your partner’s motivation.” Family became their earthly anchor. “My mother-in-law is the biggest supporter,” Isaiah said. Thilia also noted: “My father Mark Fraser and my brother Takyle Fraser too. They were part of our world, in everything that we have been through.” They also acknowledged those lecturers and classmates who along the way, stepped up to give support in various forms. For Isiah and Thilia, this convocation represents far more than degrees. It represents answered prayers, restored hope, and a testimony forged through trials. “People see our pictures and judge us based on what they see, but they don’t know what we went through,” Thilia said. Isaiah agreed, “I was not planning to come back, but after I got married, my wife motivated me. After writing my final exam, I could not believe I was done. I could jump for joy. My wife is my biggest cheerleader.” Ahead lies more growth, more ambition, and more purpose. “I don’t want to stop here; I want to do my PhD, Thilia said. Isaiah, meanwhile, is prayerfully waiting on direction. “I am between two worlds – I am thinking about business, and I am also thinking about being a dentist,” the release added.
