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| La'Monee Morris |
As the University of the Virgin Islands prepares to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2025, two exceptional graduates will receive special recognition when they accept military commissions during the Commencement Ceremony: La’Monee Morris of the Orville E. Kean Campus on St. Thomas, and Jhaleek Christian of the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.
These commissions—official appointments as officers in the United States Armed Forces—reflect years of academic achievement, leadership development, and service-oriented discipline. For both graduates, this honor symbolizes not just personal triumphs but also their commitment to protecting and serving their communities and nation.
For La’Monee Morris, this moment crowns an already stellar academic and leadership journey. A graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, Morris won the title of Miss CAHS and, more recently, was crowned Miss UVI 2024-2025, taking on the role of ambassador and student leader. Inspired by her older brother’s career in the military, Morris joined her high school’s JROTC program, setting her on a path for UVI’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, which prepared students to become officers in the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, Morris graduates magna cum laude earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a military rank of Second Lieutenant.
Deeply passionate about cultural preservation, Morris has been an advocate for promoting Virgin Islands heritage through her Miss UVI platform, “Keeping Virgin Islands Culture Alive Through HBCU Pride.” That platform lives vibrantly through the UVI Cultural Titans, a troupe she founded to introduce students to the cultural tradition of the mocko jumbie, and the UVI Twirlettes, a performance group she leads as captain. “Becoming Miss UVI gave me the opportunity to not only serve as an ambassador of this institution, but also to serve as an advocate and a voice for my fellow students,” Morris said.
“In life, I plan to be the change wherever I go.”
Her commitment to service extends beyond UVI’s campus walls. By accepting her military commission, Morris is affirming her dedication to leadership on a national scale. It is a powerful testament to the depth of her character—one shaped by academic excellence, cultural advocacy, and now, military service.
Jhaleek Christian, who will earn a Bachelor of Science from the Sheen Campus, will also receive a military commission at commencement. His achievement represents years of perseverance, personal discipline, and the determination to lead with integrity. His presence on the graduation stage as a newly commissioned officer will inspire fellow classmates and future UVI students across both campuses.
The inclusion of military commissioning ceremonies at university commencements underscores the unique role that institutions like UVI play in shaping citizen-leaders. These appointments mark the beginning of a life of service—one that combines the intellectual rigor of higher education with the honor and responsibility of military leadership.
