2012 STT/STJ Ag and Food Fair Views

Charles Leonard and Nathaniel Tuitt were honored as the 2012 crop and livestock farmers of the year, respectively, at the St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair held this month on the grounds of UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts. This year’s theme was “Agriculture: Key to Improving Our Economy.”

The two, long-time local farmers headlined the list of other competition winners. Their selection was announced during the Fair’s opening ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 3. The annual Fair, which continued through Nov. 4, featured tempting displays of some of the best locally produced fresh produce, plants, arts and crafts, and specialty products.

Crop Farmer of the Year Charles Leonard joins with other fairgoers in visiting the wide array of vendor displays, this one featuring hot sauces and more offered by Theresa Davis.

Ayanna Simon of the USVI Department 
of Agriculture Veterinary Services area 
and Michael E. Austrie of the Cooperative 
Extension Service on St. Croix spend 
time judging entries in the livestock 
competitions.

Victorine Williams of St. 

Thomas displays some of the 
hot sauces offered at the booth 
she operated with her mother 
Theresa Davis of St. Croix, who 
has been attending the fair for 

more than 20 years.


UVI Crop Farmer of the Year
for 2012 Charles Leonard and
his daughter Britaney proudly
display the award plaque.

Click to view a
news release and the
complete list of 2012
competition winners.

Vendors, from left, Victorine Williams, Tassili Maat and Marie Paul took time out from their tables to feel the music as local radio personality and UVI alum Rashidi Clenance, in the background, handled the Fair’s master
of ceremonies duties.

We Are UVI Contribution for Nov. 25

This submission was posted Sunday, Nov. 25, to UVI's Golden Jubilee blog. It joins more than 45 other stories from other individuals with close ties to the University.

Do you know who this is. To see more about this week’s “We Are UVI” contributor visit http://weareuvi.blogspot.com/. “We Are UVI” is our Golden Jubilee blog. It features people sharing CVI/UVI stories from the past 50 years. A new submission is added each week.

UVI Jazz Ensemble and a Few Friends



The UVI Jazz Ensemble rehearses with some of the nation’s top jazz professionals who just happen to hail from St. Thomas, Dion Parson (UVI’s Artist in Residence), Ron Blake and Reuben Rogers.

The UVI Jazz Ensemble and Dion Parson and Friends play at today’s (Tuesday, Nov. 20)  Thanksgiving Musical Celebration at 5 p.m. at the West Indian Company dock in Havensight Mall on St. Thomas. The Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Joseph H. Francis, Jr., along with Parson, Blake and Rogers will open the show. At 6:30 “Dion Parson and Friends” take over, with Blake on saxophone, Rogers on bass, Roan Creque on piano and Abu on percussion. Lorna Freeman will provide the vocals.



Dion Parson and Friends - Shown are,
from left, Roan Creque, Parson, Ron
Blake and Reuben Rogers.

The show – which is free and open to the public – is part of a monthly concert series Parson has been offering with WICO since August. "It’s a fun, family event,” Parson said. The final concert in the series for 2012 is slated for Dec. 11, which is WICO’s 100th anniversary. He also added that plans are in place to continue the series in 2013.



Get Your Golden Gala Tickets Today!

UVI in the Caribbean...

UVI, Nevis Sign Agreement
to Attract More Students from Nevis

 

UVI President Dr. David Hall, left, and the Honorable
Joseph Parry, Premiere of Nevis, sign the agreement.

The University of the Virgin Islands and the Nevis Island Administration signed a historic agreement on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, designed to attract more students from Nevis to UVI. The Honorable Joseph Parry, the premiere of Nevis, visited UVI’s St. Thomas campus to join UVI President Dr. David Hall in signing the memorandum of understanding establishing the agreement.

Under the agreement, graduates from the Nevis Sixth Form College will be allowed to attend UVI at a tuition rate of only 1.75 times the rate charged to residents of the Virgin Islands, less than the normal out-of-state tuition rate. The agreement is historic as it represents the first time that UVI has entered into a specific agreement with the government of a Caribbean nation. The agreement covers both undergraduate and graduate programs. It also commits the Nevis Island Administration to provide scholarships or annual financial support for students from Nevis who choose to study at UVI. It was approved by UVI's Board of Trustees at the regular meeting on Oct. 27. 

Shown, from left, following the signing of the agreement are UVI students Aujeunelle Brown and Abigail Parry, both of whom are from Nevis, President Dr. David Hall, Nevis’ Premier the Honorable Joseph Parry, UVI Interim Provost Dr. Camille McKayle and Executive Assistant to President Hall Dr. Noreen Michael.

The Honorable Joseph Parry poses with current UVI students from

Nevis Abigail Parry, left, and Aujeunelle Brown following the

signing. Abigail Parry is the Premiere’s cousin.

Dr. Hall presents the Honorable Parry with UVI’s new Strategic

Plan 2012-2017 – "Pathways to Greatness."