Shauntelle Olivia Ricketts (Jamaica)

Become a high-skilled geospatial professional
Shauntelle Olivia Ricketts (Jamaica)

I plan to bring my knowledge back home, especially since there are not that many professionals in this field there. I really hope to tap into this domain, specifically in research. In Jamaica we don’t use the methods I have learned here; instead we use more conventional methods, so I hope to expose them to this new approach.

Shauntelle Olivia Ricketts (Jamaica)

Shauntelle Olivia Ricketts (26) is studying towards her Master’s degree with a specialization in Land Administration. ‘In my study I am learning about the documentation of tenure rights and managing people’s relationship with land. In Jamaica, where I am from, there is no specific Master’s degree for this study. Plus, ITC Faculty is known as the crème de la crème of these institutions and many of my lecturers went here, so it has always been a dream of mine to go.’ Ricketts claims that her program has drastically changed her mind-set, causing her to think in an increasingly global perspective. ‘I remember when I first arrived I had a very particular idea of what this study was. Then while I was talking to someone I discovered that he had a different impression, and I even thought he was mistaken. Now my way of thinking has completely changed. I can even track exactly when my views and ways of thinking about problems started to grow.’ ‘I plan to bring my knowledge back home, especially since there are not that many professionals in this field there. I really hope to tap into this domain, specifically in research. In Jamaica we don’t use the methods I have learned here; instead we use more conventional methods, so I hope to expose them to this new approach.’

Text: Michaela Nesvarova
Photo: Gijs van Ouwerkerk
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