From a 1.2 GPA to graduating cum laude: Roshelle Pinnock’s academic turnaround

Roshelle Pinnock once considered dropping out of university after her GPA fell to 1.2. Four years later, she has graduated cum laude with a 3.5 GPA and is preparing to begin a graduate programme in the United Kingdom.

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I mean, to be graduating now as cum laude with a 3.5 GPA is such an improvement for me.

Pinnock began studying communication, with an emphasis on television, at Northern Caribbean University in Manchester in 2021. The following year, she started an internship at Nationwide News Network while continuing her degree and soon found the combination overwhelming.

She said she was failing nearly every class and felt frustrated and exhausted by the demands of working and studying. Encouragement from her academic adviser helped her continue. Her family also motivated her, since relatives had earned degrees, including master’s degrees.

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Most people would have, you know, kind of called it quits.

Pinnock responded by creating a strict schedule around her work and school timetable. She attended classes from the radio studio while she was on air and sometimes completed lessons from her car when leaving work would have meant losing her internet connection.

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No, I see you have a real talent for this. Keep going.

She told Observer Online that the improvement from a 1.2 GPA to graduating cum laude represented a major personal achievement. “Most people would have, you know, kind of called it quits,” she said.

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It was long, but I’m glad it’s done.