'50 for 50' Alumni Fundraising Campaign Unveiled During Golden Jubilee Kick Off Sessions
An estimated 1,000 individuals attended UVI Golden Jubilee kick off receptions on St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix last week. During the sessions, UVI's past presidents or their family representatives made inspiring remarks. A photo from the St. Thomas kick off is featured on UVI's Facebook page - www.facebook.com/UVI.edu?sk=wall. Attendees also enjoyed food, music and a variety of video vignettes. UVI President Dr. David Hall also took the opportunity to announce the University's "50 for 50" campaign, which challenges at least 50 percent of UVI alumni to give to the University during its anniversary year.
- Golden Jubilee Calendar
Information and a calendar of upcoming Golden Jubilee events is available from the Golden Jubilee button on the UVI homepage - www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Brothers With a Cause to Install Officers on Feb. 3
Brothers With a Cause, a student component of the Male Initiative of the University of the Virgin Islands, will conduct an installation of officers and member recognition ceremony from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 3, in the first-floor conference room of the University's Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus.
Former Virgin Islands Senator Basil Ottley, Jr., who now serves as the Field Representative of the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior, will provide remarks. The following students will be installed in leadership positions: Ricky Andino - president, Brandon Rhymer - vice president, Kirk Grant - treasurer and Somere Webber - secretary.
UVI faculty members are asked to support the event by allowing male students in their classes to attend and participate in this auspicious event. More information is available from a news release on the UVI homepage - www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Register Now for 'MAN-UP' Male Empowerment Conference Feb. 7 & 9
The University of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Department of Education and the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services will host the second annual MAN-UP Male Empowerment Conference on UVI's St. Croix campus on Tuesday, Feb. 7, and on UVI's St. Thomas campus on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. The theme of the conference is "MAN-UP: Realize your Potential - Celebrating Responsible Manhood."
In 2011, more than 3,000 young men from throughout the territory participated in the first MAN-UP Conference. The discussion themes for this year's conference will be delivered utilizing a multimedia stage play, "Real Men Talking," directed by Flemuel "Fleetwood" Brown, III. The play depicts five African American men talking about accountability, sex, relationships, self-esteem, incarceration, the falsehood of the streets, insecurities, fatherhood, mentoring, and history, just to name a few.
For more information about the Male Empowerment Conference, please contact Dr. Haldane Davies, special assistant to UVI President David Hall, at (340) 693-1004. A news release is available from the UVI homepage - www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Volunteers Needed to Assist at Man Up Conferences on St. Croix and St. Thomas
The University of the Virgin Islands is in search of male (or female) volunteers for the upcoming Man Up Conference activities - Feb. 7, on St. Croix, and Feb. 9, on St. Thomas. Needed are volunteers to serve as crowd-moderators, ushers, microphone handlers, registration agents and servers. Volunteers are an important part of the Man-Up Conference, helping to make it an inspiring event for all participants. A meeting of all volunteers is planned for 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. Details will follow. In the meantime, persons interested in volunteering are asked to forward their names and contact information to Dr. LaVerne Brown - lbrown@uvi.edu - as soon as possible.
Miss UVI to Host Leadership Seminar, Little Princess Tea Party on St. Croix on Feb. 10
Daniella Henry, Miss University of the Virgin Islands 2011-2012, will host a leadership and "Little Princess Tea Party" on Friday, Feb. 10. The session is for girls in the 5th and 6th grades who attend St. Croix's Charles H. Emanuel Elementary School. The activity will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Great Hall on UVI's Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.
Henry said the activity was developed in keeping with the UVI's Golden Jubilee theme "Honoring Our Past - Creating Our Future." It is designed to help young girls begin to develop a legacy of excellence by "sharing with them the past that brought us where we are today," she said. More than 30 girls are expected to attend seminar sessions covering the following topics: leadership development, etiquette, modeling and photography (building confidence within you) and building relationships (making friends and keeping them). Henry will be assisted by five members of the Queen's Club support team - Kevin Dixon, Keila Medina, Jmail George, Nia Victor and Trechelle Ekpe - and other student volunteers from the Sheen Campus.
SGA Seeks Input in Planning UVI's 2012 Student Participation for Carnival 2012
UVI students on the St. Thomas campus are invited to participate in the first Student Government Association's (SGA) Carnival Committee meeting at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. The meeting will take place in the Student Activities Center. A wide variety of events are being planned for UVI's Carnival participation during its Golden Jubilee Year. Events to be discussed include the UVI Carnival Troupe, Carnival Expo, Carnival Tramp, Beach Bash, Pajama Jam and more. Weekly meetings on Fridays at 4 p.m. are planned. All students are invited to participate and share their ideas.
For more information, contact SGA Carnival Committee Chairperson Shari Alfred via email at sharialfred@hotmail.com.
UVI Posts 2012-2013 Scholarship Application Forms; Application Deadline March 1
UVI's Financial Aid Office has posted scholarship application forms for the 2012-2013 academic year on the Financial Aid section of the UVI web site - www.uvi.edu. The applications are for high school students, and for graduate and undergraduate (including international students). The forms include detailed information on requirements and what types of scholarships are available. The deadline to submit a scholarship application is March 1.
Handy Links: Financial Aid Scholarships Page | High School Scholarship Application Form | Undergraduate/Graduate Application Form (includes international students)
For more information contact the Financial Aid Office at (340) 693-1090 on St. Thomas or (340) 692-4193 on St. Croix.
Moneca Pinkett Appointed UVI Webmaster
Moneca Pinkett has been appointed to the position of webmaster at the University of the Virgin Islands. As UVI webmaster, she is the manager of and primary content contributor for the University's website. Pinkett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science-Information Systems from the University of Maryland and earned certificates in micro-computing, programming, Microsoft terminal server and information resource management.
As UVI webmaster, Pinkett's responsibilities include working in close collaboration with UVI administrators, faculty and staff to upgrade web pages and sections on a timely basis and to design and produce additional University web pages or sections, as needed.
Trainings
Pinkett will conduct the following trainings for UVI website contributors:
• 10 a.m. to 11a.m. on Feb. 15, STT
• 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 23, STT
• 11 a.m. to noon on March 23, STX
• 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on March 23, STX
Individuals interested in managing their department's website must RSVP at least one week before the training.
Website Committee
Pinkett is also actively searching for faculty, staff, alumni and students to serve on the university's Website Committee. She is located in the UVI Public Relations Office on the St. Thomas campus and can be reached via e-mail at mpinket@uvi.edu or by telephone at (340) 693-1495.
Submissions for UVI Golden Jubilee Time Capsules Sought
Submissions of ideas for commemorative items to be placed in UVI Golden Jubilee time capsules on both campuses are sought by the Time Capsule Subcommittee of UVI's Golden Jubilee Committee.
"This is our opportunity to pass on legacies, lessons, knowledge, formulas, equations and models that may impact humanity, along with artifacts, poetry, hopes and dreams," said Raquel Silver chair of the subcommittee. "What do we want our students, alumni, faculty and staff to know about our University, our community and the early 21st Century?"
Contributions will be accepted from UVI students, alumni, departments and staff members. Collection of items will commence March 1, and conclude Oct, 31. Please submit items to be considered for inclusion in the time capsule. Indicate the contributor's name, department and campus, and include contact information. Items can be mailed or dropped off as follows:
- Albert A. Sheen Campus - St. Croix: Raquel Silver / rsantia@uvi.edu / ext 4061 / Research and Extension Center Room 106
- St. Thomas campus: Dr. Angela Dikou / adikou@uvi.edu / ext 1284 / Quarters B Room 202
The Time Capsule Subcommittee will make the final determination of what should be included in the time capsules before they are finally capped in December 2012. Members of the committee, are Raquel Silver, Dr. Gene Lacy Butcher III and Dr. Angela Dikou (faculty), Sharon Pickering (student), Maria Friday, Shelly Ansyln-Jones and Lorna J. Williams-Sutton (staff/alumni).
UVI Bucs, Lady Bucs Basketball Squads Open Regular Season Play Feb. 10 and 11
UVI's Buccaneers men's basketball squad travel to Puerto Rico on Friday, Feb. 10 to open begin their 2012 regular-season play UPR-Humacoa in a 6:30 p.m. game. The Lady Bucs open their season on with a road match-up against UPR-Carolina at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. The men's squad will take on their UPR-Carolina counterparts in the evening's second game at 8 p.m.
UVI's 2012 basketball season stretches through mid-April, when the finals are scheduled. The Bucs' and Lady Bucs' first home games are slated for Feb. 25.
Click here to view the complete UVI 2012 Basketball Schedule.
Seaborne Update Requires UVI Travelers to Obtain Tickets Before Making Reservations
UVI travelers using Seaborne Airlines must now obtain tickets from the UVI Purchasing Office prior to making their reservations. Seaborne has informed UVI that reservations cannot be entered into the new system unless the traveler furnishes the airline with specific ticket numbers. For more information, contact the UVI Purchasing Office at (340) 693-1480.
ADD PHOTO...
'We Are UVI' Web Project Available from UVI Homepage; Submissions Still Sought
The Golden Jubilee "We Are UVI" web project - sharing the stories of individuals who have had a close affiliation with the University at some point during the last 50 years - was updated with the latest entry on Sunday, Jan. 29. It is from someone well known to the UVI community.
Can you identify who it is from the accompanying photo? The entry joins previous submissions from Sinclair Wilkinson ('72), Rafe Boulon, Jr. ('76), Carmie Thompson ('10) and Frank Mills ('67). A new submission is being featured each week during 2012.
"We Are UVI" can be viewed from a link at the top, right on the UVI homepage - www.uvi.edu - or from this direct link. Interested individuals can add their own comments to any submissions. Everyone is encouraged to share the "We Are UVI" page via e-mail and social media links which accompany each entry. Narratives and photos are still being assembled for the ongoing project. Persons interested in contributing their stories should contact Dr. Henry H. Smith at hsmith@uvi.edu or call (340) 693-1062.
Other Current Items...
Researcher to Discuss 'Driving While Distracted' Feb. 3 on St. Croix
The St. Croix Psychology Club will host a guest lecture by Dr. Richard Wesp from the University of East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, in Evans Center Room 308 on UVI's Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. Dr. Wesp will share the results of his research on "Driving While Distracted." The presentation is free and open to the public. For details contact Dr. Aletha Baumann via e-mail at abauman@uvi.edu or call (340) 692-4178.
St. Thomas Campus Open Mic Program Set for Feb. 3
The UVI community is invited to join in an open mic program at the St. Thomas campus Dining Pavilion at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. The evening is sponsored by the student club Sophistique Marketing. Individuals are invited to express themselves through poetry and song, sharing what drives them. For more information call (340) 727-1900.
VIUCEDD to Offer American Sign Language Class Beginning Feb. 27
The Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VIUCEDD) will offer a ten week class in American Sign Language starting Feb. 27. Classes will be held in St. Thomas on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the University and in St. Croix on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:00-7:15 p.m. at the VIUCEDD office. The fee is $100. For further information or to register, call (340) 693-1173 on St. Thomas or (340) 692-4267 on St. Croix.
'The Caribbean Writer' Issues Call for Cover Art; Deadline Feb. 29
"The Caribbean Writer" - the international, literary anthology published by the University of the Virgin Islands - is soliciting colorful, eye-catching, Caribbean artwork for the cover of its upcoming issue. This issue, Volume 26 of the celebrated journal, will be dedicated to the environment, with the theme: Nature and Ecology.
Artists who want their work to be considered for use should submit it in vertical orientation, in either TIFF or JPG format, with a resolution of 300 dpi or greater. Black and white art (line drawings, sketches, block prints, etc.) is also needed for use inside the 300-page publication. Vertical orientation is also preferred for these submissions. Please include all necessary contact information and a brief biographical note with art submissions and email to submit@thecaribbeanwriter.org. The deadline for artwork submission is Feb. 29, 2012. For more information please call (340) 692-4152. Previously selected cover artwork of "The Caribbean Writer" can be viewed at the website: www.thecaribbeanwriter.org.
UVI's School of Education is a Candidate for Accreditation
The most prestigious national accrediting body for teacher education has granted the University of the Virgin Islands School of Education candidacy for accreditation. At its October 2011 meeting, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) approved the University's application for NCATE candidacy. Candidacy is the status granted to a professional education unit after it has successfully completed a candidacy review of preconditions conducted by the Unit Accreditation Board of NCATE.
"The unit's successful completion of the NCATE candidacy review has come as no surprise," said UVI's School of Education Interim Dean Dr. Linda Thomas. "The School of Education has long been recognized for preparing high-quality school professionals. In fact, through its excellent programs and highly competent instructors, the School of Education has dedicated itself to preparing P-12 (primary through 12th grade) teachers and school professionals that are capable of competing with the best," she said. A news release is available from the UVI homepage - www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Official UVI Golden Jubilee Logos Available from myCampus Portal
Access to the official UVI Golden Jubilee logo artwork is now available from the "UVI Projects" page on the University's myCampus portal. To access the portal, go to http://mycampus.uvi.edu. A link is available from the top of all UVI web pages. Logos are provided in high-resolution (print) and low-resolution (email) JPG formats. They may be used without alteration to promote 50th anniversary events and activities. Please refer to the official UVI Golden Jubilee Logo Use Policy. Please contact UVI Public Relations - pr@uvi.edu - for special size or high resolution (CMYK/EPS) files.
Sponsored Programs/Title III Issue New Internal Routing Form for Grant Applications
UVI's Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Title III has issued a new Internal Routing Form that should be used when circulating grant applications and contracts for internal approval. The form may be found on the Sponsored Programs/Title III section of the UVI website - www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link. For details contact Dayle Barry at (340) 693-1054.
UVI Health Services Center Notes...
HIV/AIDS Testing Scheduled on St. Thomas on Feb. 7
HIV/AIDS testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, on UVI's St. Thomas campus. Sponsored by the UVI Health Services Center, the testing will take place in the UVI Bookstore parking lot. For more information call (340) 693-1124.
Free Stress Relief Hour Program Set for Mondays through Thursdays
The Student Health Services Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus is offering a "Stress Relief Hour" program at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. The program offers 10-minute sessions with natural healing and magnetic resonance therapy. The service is free to all students, faculty and staff. For details or to make an appointment, call (340) 693-1124.
CELL Notes...
UVICELL to Offer QuickBooks Class Beginning Feb. 4 on St. Thomas
The University of the Virgin Islands Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (UVICELL) Center will offer a course for individuals and small businesses interested in learning to use the full-featured small business accounting software - QuickBooks. Introduction to QuickBooks will be held 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays beginning Feb. 4, at the UVICELL Center on the St. Thomas Campus. Participants will learn to set up standard lists of accounts, to manage accounts receivable and payable, to reconcile bank accounts, track credit card transactions and more.
For more information on the program or how to register, contact the UVICELL at (340) 693-1100 or visit UVICELL on-line at http://cell.uvi.edu.