UVI 48th Annual Commencement Scheduled for May 12 and 13
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) will conduct its 48th Annual Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13, 2012. The Commencement keynote address will be given by Spelman College President Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum.
Commencement on UVI's St. Thomas campus will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, in the UVI Sports and Fitness Center. Attendance is by ticket only. Tickets can be obtained from members of the UVI Class of 2012. The Commencement marshal is UVI Professor of English and Linguistics Dr. Vincent O. Cooper. UVI's St. Croix Commencement will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Albert A. Sheen Campus on Sunday, May 13. The Commencement marshal is UVI Professor of Economics Dr. Simon B. Jones-Hendrickson and the Commencement co-marshal is UVI Associate Professor of Business Dr. Gabriel Ogunmokun.
President Daniel Tatum and noted Virgin Islands physician Dr. Alfred Heath will each be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Dr. Donna Christensen will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
Both ceremonies will be broadcast live by on DaVybe radio at 107.9 FM.
Institutional Advancement Distributing Philanthropy Cords For Annual Fund Participants
In commemoration of UVI's 50th Jubilee celebratory year, the Office of Institutional Advancement has launched a Philanthropy cords recognition program. The cords, which are blue and gold, serve as a visual representation for seniors participating in the Class of 2012 Gift program and faculty and staff who have contributed to the FY 2013 annual fund.
All faculty and staff members who have made a gift to the annual fund from Oct. 1, 2011, to the present and are participating in this year's commencement exercise are invited to go by the Office of Institutional Advancement to pick up their philanthropy cords. Cords for seniors are being distributed at commencement rehearsal exercises.
Town Hall Meetings on New UVI Strategic Plan Conclude Today on St. John
The third of three Town Hall public meetings seeking input in order to develop UVI's next five-year strategic plan is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. today - Thursday, May 10, at the St. John Academic Center in Cruz Bay. Vision 2012, the University's current strategic plan, will conclude on Sept. 30, 2012. The new strategic plan will cover the period from Oct. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2017. Public meetings were conducted on St. Croix on May 8, and St. Thomas on May 9.
A news release is available from the homepage of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link
Special Golden Jubilee Issue of Dateline: UVI Now Available from Website
A special edition of the newsletter Dateline: UVI has been published covering the first quarter - Feb/March/April 2012 - of UVI's Golden Jubilee year. It features stories and photos from numerous 50th anniversary activities and events, ranging from Charter Day and Afternoon on the Green to the Golden Jubilee Alumni Choir performance and the second Man-Up Conference held on St. Thomas and St. Croix. An electronic version of the newsletter is available from the Public Relations section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
University Budget Committee FY 2012-2013 Recommendation Posted to Website
The Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget presentation, which was presented to the University community in a videoconferenced forum held by the University Budget Committee on May 2, 2012, is now available from the Administration and Finance section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link. The presentation contains recommendations developed by the University Budget Committee regarding the University's FY 2012-2013 Operating Budget.
Human Resources Office Posts New Hires/Separations List for April 2012
The UVI Human Resources Department has released the University's New Hires, Promotions and Separations report for April 1-30, 2012. The list is available to the UVI community via the HR Document Library on the HR/Benefits page of UVI's myCampus web portal - http://mycampus.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
UVI Libraries Set Intersession Schedule
Intersession hours will be observed at UVI's libraries from Sunday, May 6, through Sunday, May 13. UVI libraries will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
UVI's St. John Academic Center in Cruz Bay will open from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed Saturday and Sunday during the Intersession period. For more information call (340) 693-1466.
See If You Know This Week's
Contributor to 'We Are UVI?'
"We Are UVI" is the University's Golden Jubilee blog featuring individuals sharing their CVI/UVI stories from the past 50 years. This submission was added on Sunday, May 6.
It joins stories from Sinclair Wilkinson ('72), Rafe Boulon, Jr. ('76), Carmie Thompson ('10), Frank Mills ('67), James Rakocy, Arah Lockhart ('78), Utha Williams ('82), former UVI President LaVerne Ragster, Marthious Clavier ('02,'08), John Lucas, Maxine Nunez, Rosary Harper, Yegin Habtes, Gloria Callwood, Laurent Javois ('76), Helen Dookhan ('79, '84, '98), Curtis Gilpin ('80) and Carolyn O'Neal-Morton ('85). New submissions are added each week.
UVI to Host High School Principals, Heads of Private Schools and Senior Counselors on May 15
UVI's Access and Enrollment Services will host a program for high school principals, heads of private schools and senior counselors at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, in the Great Hall of the North West Wing building n the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. The focus will be on sharing information and engaging in dialogue with University representatives. UVI President Dr. David Hall, Provost Dr. Karl Wright, and other members of the University's administration, will be on hand to highlight the direction in which the University is headed and to discuss the future of the institution as it enters its second half-century. They will also share strategies to encourage U.S. Virgin Islands students to experience the new and exciting opportunities at UVI.
A similar session was held on May 8, on St. Thomas. For more information, please call (340) 693-1165.
Reichhold Center to Host Dance Theatre of Harlem: Ensemble Saturday, May 19
The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble concludes the Reichhold Center for the Arts' 2011-12 regular season with a show at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. The ensemble, founded by Arthur Mitchell, is the first black classical ballet company in the United States. The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble is the second company of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a world-renowned ballet company of African American and other racially diverse artists. Its repertoire is comprised of classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballet and encompasses modern dance and Afro-Caribbean techniques. The company's graceful and vigorous routines have taken the dancers around the globe repeatedly. Tickets - $35, $45 and $55 - are available from the Reichhold Center's website, www.reichholdcenter.com and from the Reichhold Box Office. For more information call (340) 693-1059.
Workshops to Help Advance Coastal Use Mapping Project of St. Thomas East End Reserve
Members of the UVI community who have personal knowledge of the various human uses of marine and coastal areas in the St. Thomas East End Marine Reserves (STEER) area are being sought for possible participation in workshops designed to help complete a coastal use mapping project.
The STEER Coastal Use Mapping Project is a partnership of the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the STEER Advisory Committee, and three projects directed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - the Reef Conservation Program, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.
UVI second-year Marine and Environmental Science graduate student Elena Kobrinski who is serving as the local coordinator for the workshops, said the effort is to find individuals such as boaters, divers, snorkelers who personally use the STEER area. She said UVI researchers and others have been closely involved in a number of watershed studies in the area. A news release is available from the UVI homepage - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Other Current Items...
UVI's Summer Programs Tailored to Diverse Audience
In addition to its two, regular academic Summer Sessions, UVI offers a host of other summer programs tailored to meet the needs of a diverse audience ranging from UVI students, to grade school students and the general public. Programs included are: Coral Reef Discovery Week, SAT Prep, Summer School Credit Recovery, Mathematics Behind the Science Bridge, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, the Summer Sophomore Research Institute, the Summer Institute for Future Global Leaders, Upward Bound Summer, 4-H Summer Academies and the Summer Bridge Program.
Details on these 10 special programs are featured on a new Summer Enrichment Programs page available from the Community tab of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link. Brief descriptions of the programs, the dates and locations they are available, contact information and links to more information are included.
UVICEDD Sets Parent Empowerment Workshops for May 14, 16
UVI's Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VIUCEDD) has announced that parent empowerment workshops - entitled "Dream Big: Take Control of Your Transition Plan!" - will be offered on St. Croix, on May 14, and St. Thomas, on May 16. The workshops are sponsored by VIUCEDD, the Inter-Island Parent Coalition for Change, the Florida Outreach Project, the Helen Keller National Center, and the State Office of Special Education.
The workshops are designed for parents with children in middle school and high school. Presentations on making life transitions, including options available after high school, and personal success stories of overcoming life challenges, will be featured. Speakers will include weight lifting champion and martial arts expert Cody Colchado, who is blind and hard of hearing, Washington D.C. student advocate Divya Goel. Panelist will include: human resources consultant Michelle Taylor and special education teacher Jolee Colchado, who is the mother of a child with special needs.
The St. Croix session will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Evans Center Room 401 on UVI's Albert A. Sheen Campus. On St. Thomas, the workshop will be offered at the V.I. Small Business Development Center in Nisky Center. Refreshments will be provided and advance registration is encouraged. For details contact Jerae Forde at 776-9200, extension 2334, on St. Thomas or Sandra Pierre-Louis, at 692-4267, on St. Croix.
May 15 Deadline Set for Applications for Heyward G. Hill Memorial Scholarship
Applications are being accepted by UVI's Office of the Provost through June 30, 2011, for the $5,000 Heyward G. Hill Memorial Scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year. Full-time, matriculated junior and senior UVI students, with a 3.0 GPA and an interest in international affairs are eligible. Students must be U.S. citizens. Application forms and information on all requirements, including an essay on how applicants think the scholarship will help them pursue a career in international affairs, have been forwarded via e-mail to UVI students. They are also available from the Scholarships page of the Financial Aid section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from this direct link.
Olympic Opportunity Available for Virgin Islander on BBC Radio
BBC Radio Scotland is looking for a citizen of the Virgin Islands who is living, working or studying in the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - to participate in a project inspired by the upcoming Summer Olympics in London.
BBC Scotland, a part of the BBC national broadcasting system, is seeking poems to record and broadcast o...n the air from individuals from every country competing in the Olympics or Paralympics. This includes the U.S. Virgin Islands.
If you know someone from the U.S. Virgin Islands who is currently living, working or studying in the United Kingdom, please ask them to get in touch with the UVI Public Relations Office - (340) 693-1057 or send email to pr@uvi.edu. If they are interested in participating we'll share the details along with contact information for BBC Radio Scotland.
Hotel Rates for UVI Travelers Updated
The UVI Purchasing Department has issued updates to its lists of inter-island ticket prices and hotel room rates for use by employees traveling on UVI business. The lists are available from the Purchasing section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - and from these direct links:
Summer 2012 Financial Aid Update
UVI's Office of Financial Aid has announced the release of the Summer 2012 Financial Aid Guidelines and the Summer Aid Application form. Please visit the links below for the Summer 2012 Financial Aid Information. Completed applications must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for review and processing.
For additional information concerning Summer Aid, please contact UVI Financial Aid Offices - St. Croix: (340) 692-4193; St. Thomas: (340) 693-1090.
UVI Schedules Summer Class in Website Creation
UVI will offer a new class on How to Create a Website during the upcoming summer session. The class will cover all phases of setting up a web site. Students will have a chance to secure their own URL (a web address like www.yoursite.com), secure hosting for the site and develop the pages that will be seen by everyone. Creating the art, music, backgrounds and the message are all part of this class. No prior experience is assumed when it comes to creating a web site. For more information call UVI Professor of Communication Dr. Alexander Randall at (340) 514-9995.
Scholarships Available for Advanced Degrees, Cultural Projects
The Board of Directors of the Virgin Islands Academic & Cultural Awards Endowment (VIACAE) Scholarship is accepting applications through May 4, 2012 for its scholarship program. Virgin Islands residents pursuing advanced degrees (J.D., M.D., or other doctorate degrees) or cultural projects are encouraged to apply for the Virgin Islands Academic & Cultural Awards Endowment Scholarship.
Created by the Virgin Islands Legislature in 1970, this program provides financial support to eligible V.I. residents to advance their academic and professional studies, and also to eligible V.I. residents engaged in cultural projects that will benefit the people of the Virgin Islands. Recipients may receive up to $10,000 per year. This is a V.I. territorial scholarship program that is administered by the University of the Virgin Islands.
Applications are available at the Provost's Office on both UVI campuses. Electronic applications and additional information are available from the Financial Aid section of the UVI website - www.uvi.edu - and from these links:
- Financial Aid - Scholarships webpage
/import/sites/uvi/Pages/Financial_Aid-Scholarships.aspx?s=PS - Scholarship Application - /import/sites/uvi/Forms/VIACAE_scholarship_application.pdf
- Residency Certification - /import/sites/uvi/Forms/VIACAE_residency_certification.pdf
- Program Flier -
/import/sites/uvi/Forms/VIACAE_scholarship_flier.pdf
For more information and eligibility requirements contact Mavis Gilchrist, Program Manager at 693-1200.
Testing and Registration Notes...
UVI Schedules Math, English Placement Testing
The University of the Virgin Islands is conducting Math and English placement testing on the following schedule. The tests are computer-based and are administered simultaneously. A picture ID is required. Calculators will not be permitted on the math placement test. A preparation guide is available at this link: http://bit.ly/taGZ6q. For reading and writing, sample tests can be found at www.accuplacer.org.
St. Thomas Campus
Tests: English and Math
Dates and Times:
Tuesday, May 8 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. & Tuesday, June 19 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Place: English testing - Classroom Administration Building (CAB) Computer Lab 103.
Math testing - Classroom Administration Building (CAB) Computer Lab 101 A & B.
Albert A. Sheen Campus - St. Croix
Tests: English and Math
Dates and Times:
Tuesday, May 8 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. & Tuesday, June 19 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Place: English testing - North West Wing, Room 131
Math testing - North West Wing, Room 133
Online Registration for UVI's 2012 Fall Semester
Online registration for UVI's 2012 Fall Semester is continuing. Fall Semester classes begin on Aug. 20. More information is available from the Registrar's section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu - with updated web registration instructions available from this direct link.
Golden Jubilee Items...
Golden Jubilee Commemorative Plates Available at UVI Bookstores
Commemorative plates, prepared for UVI's Golden Jubilee celebration, are now available for sale at the UVI Bookstores on St. Croix and St. Thomas.
UVI Looking for Historic UVI Photos for Golden Jubilee Publication
UVI is seeking historic photos from alumni, faculty, students and the general public for a book that will celebrate the University's 50th Golden Jubilee. Examples would be photos from sporting events, class activities, dormitories and queen contests. Early photos from the 1960s through 1980s are especially needed. Clearly labeled originals should be brought to the UVI Public Relations Office, Room 229 of the Administration and Conference Center, on the St. Thomas campus, and to The Caribbean Writer office, on the St. Croix campus. They may also be mailed to UVI Public Relations, #2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, V.I., 00802.
All photos will be returned. Please attach labels to the back of photos with contact, as well as complete descriptive, information. High resolution scans (full size at 300 dpi) are especially welcome and should be sent to uvijubilee@gmail.com. Photo credit and special thanks will be included in the book. For more information, contact the UVI Public Relations Office at (340) 693-1057.
Submissions for UVI Golden Jubilee Time Capsules Sought
Submissions of commemorative items for inclusion in UVI Golden Jubilee time capsules on both campuses are sought by the Time Capsule Subcommittee of UVI's Golden Jubilee Committee.
Contributions will be accepted from UVI students, alumni, departments and staff members through 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 / extension 4061 / Research and Extension Center Room 106
- St. Thomas campus: Dr. Angela Dikou / adikou@uvi.edu / extension 1284 / Quarters B Room 202
The time capsule will be capped in December 2012. Members of the subcommittee are Raquel Silver and Dr. Angela Dikou (faculty), Sharon Pickering (student), Maria Friday, Shelly Ansyln-Jones and Lorna J. Williams-Sutton (staff/alumni).