The University of the Virgin Islands invites the public to join
in the celebration of the Inauguration of Dr. David Hall as UVI's
fifth President by participating in an array of events throughout
the month of March. Inaugural activities will take place as UVI
marks the 48th anniversary of the founding of the College of the
Virgin Islands on March 16, 1962.
Dr. Hall began his tenure as President of the University of the
Virgin Islands on August 1, 2009. He succeeds Dr. LaVerne E.
Ragster, whose presidency began in 2002.
Inaugural festivities will commence on Wednesday, March 3, with an Open House in the Northwest Wing Great Hall on the UVI St. Croix campus from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. UVI alumni, faculty, staff and students, as well as friends of the University are invited to meet Dr. Hall while rekindling old friendships and sharing CVI and UVI anecdotes.
Public events continue on Thursday, March 4, with a Symposium on Spirituality and Professionalism in the Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus from 2 to 5 p.m. Dr. Hall will join select UVI panelists to discuss the role of spirituality in a number of selected professions including nursing, law, psychology, business and the teaching of mathematics and science. Presenters will provide their perspectives on how a spiritual approach can influence individuals to make significant gains in their professions. Panelists will also look at ethics and accountability in the workplace. A question and answer period will follow. At the conclusion panelists will discuss next steps in the development of a Center for the Study of Spirituality and Professionalism at UVI. The symposium will be transmitted live via videoconferenc to the Northwest Wing Great Hall, Room 143 on the St. Croix campus.
On Saturday, March 6, the public is invited to join members of the UVI Board of Trustees, invited guests and delegates from academic institutions within the region and abroad for the installation of Dr. David Hall at the Reichhold Center for the Arts. The installation ceremony will be broadcast live at 6:30 p.m. over WTJX Public Television. In order to attend the event, members of the public will need to obtain tickets, which are free. Tickets can be obtained at the Reichhold Center for the Arts Box Office, at V.I. Bridal and Tuxedo in the Tutu Park Mall on St. Thomas an in the UVI Bookstore on UVI's St. Croix campus. Seating will be on a first-come first-serve basis.
The following day, on Sunday, March 7, the University has planned "An Inaugural Feast," which is the theme of the 21st annual Afternoon on the Green friendraising event. Cooks are still being sought to contribute dishes to the event, which each year generates support for academic programs at UVI. The day is filled with food, entertainment and family fun. To contribute a dish call (340) 693-1040.
A Charter Day Open House will be held on Tuesday, March 16 in the Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Charter Day Ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. the in the same location and will be simultaneously transmitted to the Great Hall of the St. Croix campus via videoconference.
On Thursday, March 18, at 6 p.m. Dr. Steve Perry, the principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, will speak as part of the Alfred O. Heath Lecture Series. Dr. Perry, whose appearance on CNN's "Black in America" series brought him notoriety, has become a national figure in the education debate as it pertains to African-American and Latino families. The lecture will take place in the Reichhold Center for the Arts. Admission is free.
On Sunday, March 28, the St. Croix campus will play host to the annual Cultural Extravaganza, showcasing a variety of the territory's cultural entertainers all under one roof. The show begins at 5 p.m. in the Cafetorium on the St. Croix campus. Admission is free.
For further information on the inauguration of Dr. David Hall or any of the events, please call the UVI Inauguration hotline at 693-1240 or click on the Inauguration 2010 link on the UVI web site home page at www.uvi.edu.