Statement on the Passing of Dr. Renee Smith
The UWI Five Islands Campus, Antigua and Barbuda, Thursday, May 28, 2026 — The following statement is issued by The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, on the passing of Dr. Renee Smith, Campus Counsellor, Adjunct Lecturer and Founding Musical Director of The UWI FIC Singers
The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus mourns the sudden passing of our beloved Dr. Renée Smith, a cherished member of the campus community whose service, compassion, and creativity touched countless lives across our institution and beyond.
Dr. Smith served with distinction as Campus Counsellor since 2021 as well as an Adjunct Lecturer, becoming a trusted source of guidance and encouragement for students navigating academic and personal challenges. Through her warmth, wisdom, and unwavering dedication, she created spaces of care and belonging for all who encountered her. She also was one of the driving forces behind our health and wellness initiatives on campus including our Hearth Month activities and The UWI FIC Health & Wellness Expo.
A woman of extraordinary artistic and personal gifts, Dr. Smith for many years the Director of the Antigua and Barbuda National Youth Choir. Under her leadership, the choir became more than a musical ensemble; it became a symbol of unity, excellence, and patriotic spirit. In 2024 she became the Founding Musical Director of The UWI FIC Singers, which brought her musical talents to the campus. She nurtured talent, inspired confidence, and brought together voices from across the campus community in harmony and purpose.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Smith was a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, colleague, mentor, and friend. Her ability to uplift others, often quietly and without recognition, made her deeply admired by students, faculty, staff, and the wider community.
“Dr. Renée Smith exemplified the very best of what it means to serve. As Campus Counsellor, she was a refuge for countless students navigating some of the hardest days of their lives. As the Founding Musical Director of The UWI FIC Singers, she gathered scattered voices and made them one. Her truest legacy is written not in programmes or performances, but in the people she believed in,” noted Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus.
Her passing leaves a profound void within the Five Islands Campus family, but her legacy will continue through every student she encouraged, every life she touched, and every song that carries the spirit of the campus forward.
On behalf of the Campus Executive, faculty, staff, and students, The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus extends its heartfelt condolences to Dr. Smith’s family, friends, colleagues, former students, and all who mourn her passing.
May her soul rest in eternal peace.
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