Contributions of Caribbean Students and Employees at University of Idaho

Brody Gasper

Though small, the international Caribbean student population at U of I has had a few students over the years, some of whom have gained recognition. As many of the international Black Caribbean students who have attended U of I have little to no written records, this article will focus on those who have more records to help illuminate the bigger picture of Black Caribbean students and employees at U of I.

One notable student-athlete from the University of Idaho who made wakes with his professional career was Chris Stokes. Stokes was born on November 2, 1963, in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica. He attended the Bronx Community College where he earned his associate degree and was eventually awarded a track and field athletic scholarship to U of I.¹ He would later graduate with his Bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in finance. While at U of I, Stokes would put his name in the U of I record book in 1985, with the records he set in the 100 (10.40 seconds) and 200 (20.98) meters.² After he graduated from U of I, Stokes attended Washington University State where he would obtain his MBA, but not before he would try his hand at the Olympics.

He originally tried out for the Jamaican Olympic Track and Field team, but his brother Dudley Stokes, convinced him to join the brand new Jamaican Bobsleigh team in 1988. From his time on the Bobsleigh team, he would compete in four Winter Olympic Games from 1988-1998, eventually becoming the President of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Federation in 1995, a position he still maintains. He would also write Cool Runnings and Beyond – The Story of the Jamaica Bobsleigh Team which would serve as the inspiration for the “Cool Runnings” movie. After his time on the Bobsleigh team, he would finish his MBA, get his master’s in business administration from Washington State University, a master’s in banking at Georgetown University, and a doctorate in economic development policy from the University of the West Indies.³ He is also the founder and executive chairman of NCS Enterprises, a group of companies focusing on financial services through leadership and sports administration.

A notable faculty member at U of I is Raymond A. Dixon, a full professor in the College of Education. Originally from Jamaica, Dixon earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Technology at the University of Technology in Jamaica in 2001.⁴ From here, he moved to the US and attended Illinois State University, where he obtained his Master’s in Project Management/Training and Development in 2004. After this, he stayed in Illinois and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, where he received his Ph.D. in Human Resource Development/Engineering and Technology Education in 2010. He came to U of I in 2011 as a Co-Principal investigator, slowly working his way up to a Principal Investigator in 2014.⁵ He was hired to the position of Assistant Professor at the University in 2011 and later the Department Chair of Curriculum and Instruction in 2018.⁶ Dixon is the first Black Administrator in the College of Education at U of I. He has published several works that can be seen through his VIVO link and he has been an instrumental help in furthering Black History at the University of Idaho.

Interestingly enough, another notable employee from the Caribbean is Patricia Edwards-Dixon, who is Dr. Raymond Dixon’s wife. Originally from Jamaica, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management Studies at the University of the West Indies in 1999.⁷ Later she would receive her Graduate Certificate in Training and Development from Illinois State University. Her story at U of I began in 2012 with her enrollment, in which she earned her Master’s in Adult, Organizational Learning, and Leadership in 2014.⁸ She was hired officially at U of I in 2021 and previously served as a Financial Specialist for the College of Education, in which she has helped to allocate funds for the Black History Research Lab and serve as a helpful source of information.

Bibliography

Unbiased Factual Guarantee by our College Data Analytics Team. “University of Idaho Diversity: Racial Demographics & Other Stats.” College Factual, March 22, 2023. https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-idaho/student-life/diversity/#google_vignette.

“Locally: Former Idaho Sprinter Chris Stokes Receives Jamaica’s Sixth-Highest National Honor.” The Spokesman-Review. September 21, 2019.

London, Bill. “Stokes Takes a Break for the Olympics.” Lewiston Morning Tribune, March 9, 1988.

Patricia Edwards-Dixon - Illinois State University and … - LinkedIn. Accessed August 31, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-edwards-dixon-35781385.

“Patricia Edwards-Dixon, M.S.” Patricia Edwards-Dixon. Accessed August 31, 2023. https://www.uidaho.edu/ed/people/staff/patricia-edwards-dixon.

“Raymond a Dixon.” Raymond A. Dixon. Accessed August 31, 2023. https://vivo.nkn.uidaho.edu/vivo/display/pid56349.

“Raymond A. Dixon-College of Education, Health and Human Sciences-University of Idaho.” University of Idaho - Offering top-ranked programs in the Northwest. Accessed August 31, 2023. https://www.uidaho.edu/ed/ci/faculty/raymond-a-dixon.

Raymond Dixon - department chair - curriculum and … - LinkedIn. Accessed September 1, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-dixon-64163915. “‘Cool Runnings’ Athlete, Author Returns to UI.” The Lewiston Tribune, March 23, 2023.

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