Dr. Sharon Smith has been the Director of the Mona Entrepreneurial and Commercialization Centre (MECC) at The University of the West Indies since 2015. She combines the inquiring mind and scientific approach of her undergraduate degree in chemistry with her post-graduate studies and research in business management and marketing, to provide effective support for young entrepreneurs. A graduate of St. Hugh’s High School she completed a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry with a minor in Food and Agricultural Microbiology at The University of the West Indies, Mona. On graduating from The UWI with an Honours degree, she started her career at the Jamaica Bureau of Standards, developing standards and monitoring food processing plants. That experience with commerce and industry led to a desire to understand the science behind business and so she went on to earn a Master in Business Administration degree (MBA) from Nova Southeastern University. She later worked in pharmaceutical sales and marketing for several international companies. Perhaps this experience led her to pursue and earn her Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) and then Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from City University of New York, specialising in international business and specifically, marketing and consumer psychology. Dr. Sharon Smith worked in academia initially as a tutor to support her own education and later as a lecturer and eventually as an Assistant Professor at DePaul University, Chicago for over 6 years. She provides marketing and business consultancy services through her own company and others, producing business development and marketing strategies with a focus on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. She has developed marketing research projects, global entry strategies and cross-cultural sensitivity training for global and international firms across diverse industries with a focus on the Caribbean and Latin America. A fierce advocate for girls and women’s rights, Dr. Smith has provided practical support to several civil society organisations including the St. Hugh’s Past Students’ Association and Foundation and the Elsie Bemand Home for Girls. For her outstanding achievements and contribution to Entrepreneurial Development and Educational Service, the St. Hugh’s Past Students’ Association conferred on Dr. Sharon Smith, the award of Distinguished Past Student for 2025