The University of the Virgin Islands Honors Program is expected to
grow with the addition of a new director. In spring 2008 Germaine
Lewis was hired as the director of the UVI Honors Program. Approved
by the UVI Board of Trustees in 2005, the Honors Program's goal is
to provide UVI students with enriched intellectual, leadership and
outreach experiences. The program of fers a specialized
instructional plan to a student population that desires an enriched
curriculum. It is open to students on both campuses and from all
majors. The major criterion for acceptance is a grade point average
(GPA) of at least 3.3. The competitive acceptance requires
interested students who meet the criteria to submit an application,
two academic recommendations, a goals statement and a personal
essay. Applicants then participate in an interview process.
>Twenty students are accepted into the program each spring
semester. UVI honors students are required to complete five Honors
Program courses, including the Honors Thesis and Honors Project
which provide a capstone experience for the students. "This program
will help to establish the fact that we do produce quality students
and we do provide the quality education that most are seeking,"
said Lewis, a two-time UVI alumna. "The idea is to get Honors
students into graduate school," Lewis said, adding that their
experiences will also prepare the students for successful
completion of their graduate studies. Honors students must also
participate in all Honors-designated activities. One of those
activities is mentoring junior high and high school students. "We
want to produce a big circle where we allow our students to be in
the Honors Program and they give back, encouraging other students
to strive to be in the Honors Program and to fill those slots
yearly," Lewis said. All Honors students receive free UVI academic
tuition. They also receive the distinction of having on their
degrees the words "Honors Designate." Lewis said this designation
makes the students more attractive to graduate schools. >
Another benefit of the program is sponsorship to Honors Program
activities. One of those activities was participation in a U.S.
Model Congress session in Washington, D.C. in May. "As it starts to
grow and we start to get more students, I can see this being a very
beneficial program for UVI," said Lewis, who is also a visiting
instructor in the Humanities and Social Sciences Division. She
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in
Education from UVI. Lewis also holds a Master of Social Work from
Norfolk State University. The former U.S. Air Force member expects
to begin courses towards a doctoral degree in social work in 2009.
Recruitment for the Honors Program begins in January. For more
information call Germaine Lewis at
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