The University of the Virgin Islands mourns the passing of Neil Weiss, a philanthropist, entrepreneur and business man, who owned and operated several successful businesses in the territory. Weiss was 92 years of age at the time of his passing and will be laid to rest on Sunday, Feb. 14.
“Neil Weiss was very enthusiastic about creating a legacy at UVI which would support the educational aspirations of our students,” said UVI President David Hall. “It was a joyous and celebratory moment when we officially inaugurated the Neil Weiss Seminar Room in West Hall. He was excited and so was the University community. It was a sad moment when we heard of his passing.”
In March of 2012, Weiss donated $250,000 from his estate to assist in the construction of the West Hall, UVI’s newest 100-room residential facility. The “Neil Weiss Seminar and Education Suite,” which was dedicated in his honor in November of 2012, features a state-of-the-art learning center equipped with seating for 40, video conference technology, high definition projectors, microphones and speakers.
“This transformative gift helped the University to construct one of the most modern classroom experiences available at our institution,” said Mitchell Neaves, UVI vice president of Institutional Advancement. “While Mr. Weiss is no longer with us in body, his spirit and generosity will remain with us into perpetuity.”
“It has been my contention that only through education can we achieve equality,” Weiss said at the suite’s naming dedication ceremony in 2012. It is excellent teachers who make a difference in student-learning and turn good institutions into great institutions, he said.
“While he was a grand man in many respects, our short time together provided a perspective of a person who clearly enjoyed the relationships he cultivated over the years, in these islands, and the legacy he wanted to leave behind,” said Neaves.
On behalf of the UVI family, Dr. Hall and Neaves offered heartfelt condolences to his daughters Ina Weiss Pollins, Debra Miller and Meryl Trahant and extended sympathies to his relatives and friends as they mourn his passing.