Founders

Dr. Betty Flinchum, Emerita Professor of the University of North Florida is a founding member of COBEC. Flinchum was recognized in a formal Tribute to Belizean Patriots ceremony on September 14th, 2017 for giving years of service to the country, in supporting educational programs and facilitating a process where more than 500 Belizean nationals have been able to earn degrees from the University. According to the program from the Belizean Office of the Prime Minister, “There are hundreds of Belizean professionals whose lives have been positively impacted and changed forever by Dr. Betty Flinchum. Her sterling contribution is through her personal commitment and dedication to Belize’s development.”

In preparation for her academic work, she received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Woman’s College of UNC, her Master’s Degree from the University of North Carolina and her Ph.D. Degree from Louisiana State University. In the early part of her career, she taught in university positions related to the areas of movement education; motor development of young children and teacher education. As her academic career progressed, she served in university administrative positions for the main part of her career and focused on international education and international development. Flinchum had a distinguished career in education as a teacher, professor, director and administrator in several prominent universities. She continues to be a long-standing member of COBEC and to participate as an Emeriti member.”

Dr. Tracy Harrington, now deceased, was a founding member of COBEC. Tracy earned a degree in sociology from Washington and Lee University in 1965, then moved his family to Africa, where he and his wife, Judy, taught English at a Tanzanian secondary school. After earning a Ph.D. from Florida State University in the 1970’s, Tracy returned with his family to Africa, this time as a professor at the University of Zambia. Tracy later was a pioneer in the field of international education as Director for International Programs at Murray State University and Valdosta State University, where he internationalized the campuses and established a number of faculty and student exchange programs.

Dr. Harrington hosted the exploratory meeting with Belizeans, held at Murray State University in the summer of 1988. He was devoted to the mission of COBEC and served as its Co-Chair for several consecutive terms in the 1990s. At his retirement in 2005, the Board of Trustees of Georgia’s state university system honored his contributions by announcing the creation of a state-wide award named after Tracy, which would recognize each year the person who does the most to advance international education in Georgia. He received the Order of Distinction from the nation of Belize posthumously in the fall of 2019. His son Matthew and daughter Meghan received his award from Sir Colville Young, Governor General of Belize.

Mr. Ernest Raymond is a founding member of COBEC. In 1988, as the Chief Education Officer, he and then Dr. Colville Young, met with U.S. universities conducting affiliation projects in Belize and proposed the idea of an educational consortium.

Mr. Raymond’s five decades of service to Belize education began as a primary school teacher followed by years of service as Chief Education Officer, Principal of Belize Teachers’ College, Director of Projects, Planning and Curriculum Reform, and Council Member of the University of Belize.

He managed a World Bank-funded Municipal Development Project which resulted in the rehabilitation of streets and public facilities. His knowledge of the Belize socio-economic landscape is extensive because of his collaboration on important national initiatives: rural agriculture development, poverty assessment, and preservation of cultural practices.

Mr. Raymond has been a tireless volunteer as Director of Citrus Products of Belize. Director of the Belize Credit Union League and currently, Chairman of the Citrus Growers Association, President of the Belize Audubon Society and Past President of the Belmopan Lions Club. He is a member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Mr. Raymond received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of the West Indies and a Master’s Degree in Education Development from the University of Sussex in England.

Dr. Pritchy Smith is one of the founders of COBEC. He attended the first exploratory meeting that was held at Murray State University in the summer of 1988. For his years of service on various committees and grant development, he received several COBEC Honor Awards. Dr. Smith’s most notable contribution to Belize was his administration of UNF’s Master’s Program in Educational Leadership from 1996-2006. Over 250 Belizean educators graduated from that program. In 2002, he was selected as the recipient of the COBEC Service Award by the Consortium of Belize Education Cooperation, and in 2003 he was given the Outstanding Service Award for Educational Development of Belizeans by the Belize Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (BAPSS).

In addition to his involvement with COBEC, Dr. Smith is a Professor Emeritus of Foundations and Secondary Education at the University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville, Florida where he taught courses in multicultural education. His writings and research concerned issues of multicultural education and social justice. He was one of the founders of the National Association for Multicultural Education. He is known for promoting and defining an expanded knowledge base about diversity for use in teacher training. On June 30, 2011, G. Pritchy Smith retired from the University of North Florida. He presently lives part of the year on his ranch near Dublin, Texas and part of the year in his home in Neptune Beach, Florida. Even in retirement, Dr. Smith continues to work for the cause of social justice.

His Excellency, Sir Colville Norbert Young became the Governor-General of Belize in 1993. Prior to his position, he served his country as an academic author, teacher, musician, playwright, and noted linguist. Cited as Belize’s premier linguist, Sir Colville has contributed to the preservation of the Belize Kriol language and to Belizeans’ understanding of and pride in Creole literature. He has done this through his writings, poetry and his music. As a noted musician and composer, his words have been performed throughout Belize and abroad. His personal contributions to music through his arrangements, compositions, and cantatas have made an extraordinary impact on music in Belize and other countries. Sir Colville received his knighthood from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on her Royal visit to Belize in 1994. At that time, his official title became His Excellency, Sir Colville Young, and in this role he has provided exemplary service as Belize’s Head of State.

Sir Colville Norbert Young, Governor-General of Belize, is credited with the idea that developed into the founding of a Belize/US educational consortium called COBEC. As then President of the newly-established University College of Belize (UCB), Dr. Young Approached several United States universities shortly after Independence, citing the country’s need for educational assistance. An exploratory meeting was held at Murray State University in 1988. The consortium was formed and he continued to assist in the establishment of COBEC, serving as its first Belize Co-chair.