• The UVI Spring Student Research Symposium took place on March 23, 2013 on St. Croix with poster presentations from more than 30 UVI undergraduate and graduate students in Applied Mathematics, Biology, Marine Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Nursing, and Psychology. Students presented research they conducted during the summer of 2012 at UVI and a number of off-island institutions.
  • Five MMES students defended their theses this past April. One student will be employed at UVI as a research technician, another student is employed by the National Park Service on St. Croix, and a third student is employed as a research technician in Maine. Another three MMES students are expected to finish this semester.
  • Twelve students presented their research at the 2013 Emerging Research National Conference in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) sponsored by NSF. Biology senior, Chinamaere Igwebuike earned first prize for his presentation in the Biological Sciences. Students were accompanied by UVI faculty Dr. Robert Stolz and Dr. Bernard Castillo.
  • Six UVI undergraduates were awarded Etelman Observatory internships through NASA grants and the Emerging Caribbean Scientists (ECS) program to do engineering and astrophysics at Etelman Observatory during Summer 2013. In addition to these six students, the ECS program will fund approximately 20 additional students to work with various faculty members on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and 10 students to participate in an advance mathematical and computational methods modeling course during the summer.
  • Anthonios Doliotis, Lynisha Farrell, Anthonio Forbes, Shelsa Marcel, Kynoch Reale-Munroe & Bernard Castillo II . ‘Comparative Study to Determine the Water Quality Parameters of Bioluminescent Mangrove Lagoon and Salt River Bay, St. Croix, USVI.’ Poster presentation by students and faculty member, Dr. Castillo, at the 2013 Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in STEM sponsored by NSF.
  • Marisha Marie Perkins, senior chemistry major and a JNCF-Merck Fellow, was accepted at six graduate schools for study in chemistry or medicinal chemistry. She will attend Duke University in Durham, NC.  [News Release]
  • Akima George, senior biology major, was accepted to two PhD programs in biomedical sciences and will be attending the University of Michigan in the Fall, with a tuition waiver and a position as a research assistant.
  • Jemica Gumbs, senior mathematics major, will start in the Fall Masters program in statistics at Florida State University, with a tuition waiver and position as research assistant.
  • Cherise Burton, senior mathematics major, will start in the Fall in a Masters program in engineering at the University of South Florida, with a tuition waiver and position as research assistant.
  • Darrell Mercer, senior psychology major, will start in the Fall in a Masters program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University, with a tuition waiver and research assistant position.
  • Three students were inducted into the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta.
  • Erick Willie
    Erick Willie and his tuba
    traveled to present a paper and also participate in the Golden Key Leadership Summit (Miami, FL). Mr. Willie also hosted a workshop on “How to Plan A Successful Honorary Engagement Activity” at the Golden Key Summit.  [Blog Story]
  • Tara Brim was accepted into the Master’s in School Counseling Program at Oklahoma State University.
  • Curlis Joseph was accepted into the Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Jackson State University.
  • Darrell H. Mercer, Jr. was accepted into the Master of Science program in Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University.
  • Sheneé Martin was accepted into the following summer research programs: CLIMB-UP Program at Buffalo University; RiSE at Rutgers University in New Jersey; SMART Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder; OGR Program at Washington University in St. Louis.
  • Allena Clifford was accepted into Virginia Commonwealth University HERO Summer Research Program.
  • Jacqueline Adonis’ proposal was accepted to share panel as discussant with professors at CSA conference. Panel presentation is scheduled for June 5, 2013.
  • Leslyn Tonge’s proposal was accepted to share panel as discussant with professors at ACLALS literature conference, August 8, 2013.
  • Nursing students in our NUR 424 Leadership Management course lead a number of projects that were adopted by local health care facilities. Some of the projects were:
    • Shared Medical Appointments as a model for counseling and treating patients in groups. This was adopted at the East End Health Clinic, St. Thomas.
    • Revision of the building code to allow for roof rinse apparatus on all new construction with cisterns. This addresses the public health problem of unclean and unsafe cistern water in the Territory. It has obtained legislative sponsorship and has the endorsement of the Plumbers Association.
    • Procedures and protocol for decubitus ulcer prevention in the home. This was adopted by Continuum Care.
    • The institution of Direct Observation Therapy in all public schools in the Territory for school children with latent tuberculosis infection. Implementation procedures have been developed and a Memorandum of Understanding is pending approval by the Commissioners of Education and Health.
  • The School of Education has collaborated with the Center for Student Success to work with students to strengthen content knowledge, thus making them better prepared for the PRAXIS examination. Also, through a grant to enhance Teacher Quality, tutors are provided to prepare students to be successful on PRAXIS. 

Pass Rate on PRAXIS I 2011-2012 (WESTAT)

Area # of takers # Passed School of Education Pass Rate
Reading 12 11 92%
Writing 11 9 82%
Mathematics 13 11 85%
2013 Graduating Students 93% Pass Rate