Up Close …with Shaquille Denis, STA graduate and President’s Cup winner 2015 |12 July 2016

‘My mother was the motivation behind my success’

Winner of the President’s Cup at the 2015 Seychelles Tourism Academy graduation ceremony, Shaquille Denis is overjoyed with his accomplishment and amazed at receiving the President’s Cup.

In our Up Close column this week, Shaquille talks about school, friends, family and social life and how he managed to overcome obstacles to win the President’s Cup for the year 2015. He also updates us on his new life in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius where he is currently studying for a degree in tourism management.

Childhood and education

Born on December 22, 1995, Shaquille is the eldest in a family of five children comprising three boys and two girls. He started his school days at Anse Etoile school until P4. Then he was transferred to La Rosière (from P5 to P6) where he received the outstanding student award.

“After my accomplishment at the La Rosière school, I pursued all of my secondary education at Belonie. With the proper guidance from my mother and teachers I managed to receive the award for best student in 2012 at the Belonie school,” Shaquille says.

Shaquille, who always wanted to work in the tourism industry, decided to further his studies at the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) where he excelled and eventually emerged as the President’s Cup winner for 2015.

“I always wanted to work in the tourism industry. Tourism is the number one pillar of the economy of Seychelles and is a growing industry. So I decided to further my studies at the STA to follow a course in Tourism and Tour Guiding for two years. Besides the President’s Cup winner, I was also the best academic performer in my course,” says Shaquille.

“STA was different from other schools and all of my class mates were hard working people. We were all committed to graduate at the end of the year. Yes we had our differences but that didn’t stop us from being united and working together,” recalls Shaquille.

How did he feel when his name was called out as the winner of the President’s Cup?

“I can’t even describe how I felt that day as I was going through a rollercoaster of emotions. I don’t even know how I got to the stage in front of the President,” says Shaquille with a big smile on his face.

After that great accomplishment, Shaquille received a scholarship for a degree in tourism management Mauritius.

Shaquille’s new life in Mauritius

Shaquille left Seychelles last year to study for a degree in tourism management in Mauritius. So how does Mauritius compare to Seychelles in terms of environment, atmosphere and making new friends?

“Mauritius is comparable to Seychelles in terms of weather, the mix of culture and traditions.  Since I left last year, I have visited my home two times and each time my friends congratulate me on my accomplishment and give me wonderful advice on my studies. I have to thank STA for having developed my critical thinking abilities which have landed me where I am today.

Motivation

To achieve such success, a lot of motivation and support is needed and for Shaquille he had his mother by his side.

“My hero is my loving mother; she always was there in good and bad times, and she was always there for me. I grew up with only my mother, she was my inspiration and she was the number one person who pushed me to accomplish my goals in life, to go that extra mile for success,” Shaquille says. 

As Shaquille was always getting good grades at school, everyone thought that he will surely choose to attend the School for Advanced Level Studies, but that wasn’t the case.

“Everyone thought that I would have chosen to go to A-Level, but I had already made up my mind to go to STA. And my mother supported my decision. I know that I made her proud, and she knows that she’s a proud mother.

Social life

Surely, Shaquille is not all about studying, so I decided to find out more about his social life.

“I am an outgoing person who likes clubbing and going to the cinema. I am always in the mood to have fun. I also like making friends and in my spare time I like going to the beach,” he says.

Although Shaquille loves to go clubbing, he manages not to drink hard liquor or smoke. He prefers to stay sober.

He also would love to travel and visit other places around the world.

“I love travelling. I always wanted to experience new cultures, learn new languages, see different landmarks around the world. I have had the chance to visit South Africa, Reunion Island and Mauritius. My dream is to be able to visit Paris and admire its landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower,” says Shaquille.

Future goals

With all the successes he has accomplished I was prompted to ask Shaquille what are his future plans.

“I would like to excel in the field that I have chosen which is Travel and Tourism. Later I would like to come back to Seychelles and contribute my experience that I would have gained in the tourism industry,” he says.

Advice

Shaquille has the following piece of advice for the students who have chosen to follow the course in Tourism and Tour Guiding at the STA, along with how to overcome obstacles in life.

“It’s all about discipline. Tourism is a vast industry; you will always learn new things. My advice to the new students following the Tourism and Tour Guiding course is not to give up. Yes there will be difficult moments, but you need to stay strong and stay focused. I have always wanted to make something out of my life, and today I want to give thanks to my mother, family, STA lecturers and even all my friends who stood by my side.”

By U-Roy Jules