News travelled quickly this month when word got around that St. Maarten’s Ivy Defoe graduated from the University of Utrecht. Her parents and sibling, colleagues and acquaintances, along with St. Maarten Director of Cabinet of Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, Perry Geerlings, Cabinet member Kelly Busby and Rose Leerdam attended her graduation ceremony, where Ivy Defoe successfully defended her PhD thesis “The Puzzle of Adolescent Risk Taking”.
Dr. Ivy Defoe graduated cum laude from the Developmental Psychology Department and was lauded by the rector magnificus, her peers and professors for her great achievements in both her publications and research. Among her achievements thus far are her nine literary (research) publications as well as one publication in a heralded psychology magazine in the Netherlands.
The rector magnificus even mentioned that Dr. Defoe’s achievements are very rare. Now and then, you come across an exceptional graduate; this is one of those scarce occasions, the rector said. In his address, Director Geerlings congratulated the doctor on behalf of the government and people of St. Maarten and deemed Dr. Defoe a true role model, not only to St. Maarten, but also to her peers.
Having played a part in the research process of Dr. Defoe, the director further stated that he was more than convinced that she would be not only a source of inspiration to many, but that her research would also be of great value to the island.
