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December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 27, 2025
Daniel Persaud, a 33-year-old electrical engineer at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), has been named the University of Guyana’s Valedictorian for 2025 after earning a Perfect GPA of 4.0 in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
His achievement, which also earned him the President’s Medal for Best Graduating Student with a bachelor’s degree, stands as the culmination of years of persistence, sacrifice, and strong support from family, mentors, and colleagues.
He joins more than 3,700 graduands as UG hosts its convocation ceremonies from November 20 to December 6, 2025.
Persaud said he was overwhelmed when he learned he had been selected as Valedictorian.
“I couldn’t explain how I felt. I am humbled by it. I am honoured by it. I never envisioned me being here. I actually thought this would have been awarded to one of my classmates.”
He credited his 4.0 GPA to a consistent, disciplined mindset, reminding himself throughout his studies that “getting an A is not impossible, there is no reason to fail.”
But Persaud’s success was hard-won. He described the difficulty of balancing intense academic demands with responsibilities at home.
“The challenges were basically just balancing what was required at UG with what was happening at home. UG had lots of late nights, exams and lots of assignments to take care of and I also had many responsibilities at home.”
The heavy mathematics component of engineering also made the journey emotionally demanding.
“In engineering, there’s a lot of math, and I wasn’t good at math before coming to the university. There were definitely times when I questioned, ‘What are you doing here Daniel? Why did you choose this torture?’”
Raised in Wales, Region Three, Persaud attended West Demerara Secondary School before continuing his studies at the GuySuCo Port Mourant Training Centre and the Government Technical Institute (GTI).
His admission to UG was not immediate; he recalled being rejected prior to 2021 because he did not meet the requirements.
“I felt rejected when I did not get through at first. But looking back, if I had gotten accepted, I would have struggled without that GTI foundation.”
He used that period to strengthen his technical skills, which later helped propel him through the Electrical Engineering programme.
A scholarship from DDL, where he has worked since 2013, allowed him to study full-time.
He explained that the company’s leadership “promotes growth for their employees,” and emphasised the role of his manager, Mr. Khemraj Sukhdeo, in supporting him.
He added that he was not required to work while on the scholarship, giving him the time needed to focus on his studies.
Persaud’s academic journey was supported by a wide network of family and mentors. His parents, Sewchand Persaud and Jasoda Deokaran, along with his sisters, Nadeina and Debbina, encouraged him throughout the programme.
But the foundation of his educational path, he said, was laid by his grandmother, Mabel Persaud, who “has been a support of my education from the time I started school up to the point of UG.”
Beyond family, he credited his “very special friend” and mentor, Chelsea Balkaran, who helped him navigate the complexities of university life and encouraged him to apply for the DDL scholarship.
His friend and study partner, Lemuel Williams, also played a key role in tackling coursework.
“For me, this is the guy that knows everything about anything. There were many late nights, group meetings. We would utilize Zoom, sometimes Google Meet, and we would teach one another.”
Though unable to take part in extracurricular activities at UG due to the demands of the Engineering programme, Persaud kept active outside school through martial arts, cricket, football, volleyball and other activities.
As he prepares to address UG’s 2025 graduating class, he encourages both current and future students to embrace the opportunities the university offers.
“Treat the negative you hear about UG as noise, take the challenge and come. There is so much you could learn at UG, not only lifelong skills, but the relationships you develop.”
He advised students to form study groups, be vocal in class, and engage with lecturers who, he said, “are trying to help you grow.”
Persaud also used the moment to urge fellow graduates to stay and serve Guyana, especially at a time of rapid national transformation.
“We are at a stage right now where we are building bridges, roads… we are experiencing rapid development… as our President says, transformation. Stick around, take advantage of the opportunities, don’t be afraid to share your ideas, dream big, innovate, be yourself.” He added that his success was due in large part to his faith, saying being named Valedictorian was thanks to “God and my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Persaud plans to continue his career at DDL while pursuing a Master’s degree in a related field.
