ROTC Presents Four-Year UVI Scholarship to Complex Graduate Augustus Laurencin

Shown, from left, are UVI Interim Provost Dr. Camille McKayle, Senior Military Instructor Master Sgt. Jose Delgado, Senior Military Science Instructor Maj. (R) William J. Velazquez, Professor of Military Science Lt. Col. Robel Ramirez, UVI scholarship recipient Agustus Laurencin, JROTC Senior Instructor at Central High School Maj. Fernando Webster, Central High Cadet Battalion Commander Daleena Parker and Sixth ROTC Brigade Commander Col. Brent Barnes. 

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Professor of Military Science Lt. Col. Robel Ramirez presented a four-year ROTC scholarship to Augustus Laurencin to attend the University of the Virgin Islands in a ceremony at the St. Croix Educational Complex High School on May 16. Laurencin, a former JROTC Cadet at Central High School, was the fourth cadet to receive a full scholarship to UVI. It will cover tuition, books and all educational expenses at the University.

Col. Brent Barnes, ROTC commander of Continental USA 

South East Region, speaks  to JROTC Cadets attending 

Complex High School. (Click image for larger view.)

The ROTC Commander of Continental USA South East Region Col. Brent Barnes, who was on hand for the presentation, spoke to JROTC Cadets attending Complex High School. UVI Provost Dr. Camille McKayle represented the University.

UVI to Graduate New Leaders

Stella Jarvis, left, and Paulette Jarvis pause for a photo before lining up for the 2014 Commencement on St. Croix on Sunday, May 18. Preliminary photos from this year's Commencement Ceremonies on both St. Thomas and St. Croix are featured on UVI's Facebook page - www.facebook.com/UVI.edu. Check Facebook again soon for additional photos and be sure to like the page and share the photos with your friends.  

The University of the Virgin Islands will graduate another set of leaders at Commencement Ceremonies to be held on May 17, in the Sports and Fitness Center on the University’s St. Thomas Campus, and on May 18 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. UVI will award more than 300 degrees in fields of study from engineering, to nursing, to music education.

See 2014 Commencement details at bottom:

Mother and Daughter Graduate in Class of 2014; Legacy to Continue with Son

Paulette Jarvis and her daughter Stella Jarvis will walk together as graduates on St. Croix. Paulette Jarvis will graduate with an associate's degree in nursing. Stella Jarvis, a student in the 3-2 Engineering Program, will graduate from UVI with a bachelor’s degree in applied science and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida.

Through this program, students in the College of Science and Mathematics spend three years at UVI and two years at a participating institution. At the end of the program, the student earns a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics from UVI, and a Bachelor of Science in his or her chosen field of engineering from the affiliated university. UVI has agreements with Columbia University, the University of Florida, and the University of South Carolina.

Stella Jarvis and Paulette Jarvis

Stella Jarvis’ journey towards earning a degree in higher education started at age 16, in UVI’s early admissions program. At first, she didn’t know what she wanted to study and then found out about the dual degree engineering program. She studied for one year at the Albert A. Sheen Campus and three years on UVI’s St. Thomas Campus, before traveling to the University of Florida. “I think it was the best path to take instead of going directly to the states,” she says. “You get two degrees and end-up with less debt.”

Stella has already landed a job at Dow Chemical Company in Freeport, Texas, as an environmental specialist. She credits the multiple paid research opportunities that she got at UVI for her ability to be hired right out of college. “At a larger school people are actually begging for research and they don’t get paid,” said Stella Jarvis. “Most of the things on my resume came from UVI. That’s what helped me get the second internship I got up here, and subsequently my job. When I transferred I had a lot more stuff on my resume than my classmates that started at Florida. ”

She is excited to be graduating at the same time as her mom. “Both of our paths were so different,” says Stella Jarvis. A nursing degree is something that I know that she wanted for a long-time and I think it is about time that she got something for her. She has been selfless with me and my brother, says Stella Jarvis.

Paulette Jarvis has wanted to be nurse ever since she was a little girl watching her mother and suffer from a mysterious illness. She asked the Lord to help her to become a nurse to help her mother. “That is why I never gave up,” says Paulette Jarvis. She began her education at UVI in 1999. After having difficulties with several classes, she left UVI and became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) through a vocational program. She returned to UVI after the Juan Luis Hospital released her and several of their LPNs.

To earn her degree, Paulette Jarvis, who is president of the 2014 nursing class, spent 12 hour days studying with her classmates. One night when they were burning the midnight oil she told her classmates, “We all have to make it, nobody’s staying behind.” On May 18, she expects to march with all 15 nursing students. After graduation she will work on her National Council Licensure Examination, which is the final step towards becoming a licensed registered nurse.

Paulette’s son, Travis Jarvis, has been accepted into UVI’s Early Admissions program. He plans to become a veterinarian.

St. Croix Class of 2014 President Raydiance K. Watts-Clarke

Watts-Clarke Continuing
the Family Legacy of Success

UVI Class of 2014, President Raydiance K. Watts-Clarke will graduate magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education and a minor in social science on the University’s Sheen Campus. Her uncle, Horace Clarke – who played professional baseball for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres – will receive an honorary degree from UVI. Horace Clarke was the New York Yankees’ regular second baseman from 1967 through 1973. Following his professional career, he returned to St. Croix where he developed young players in the territory as a baseball specialist for the Virgin Islands Government. “I am proud of him,” Watts-Clarke says. “He has inspired other individuals, especially the young males who love playing baseball. From looking at his legacy, there is chance that they can also achieve their dreams and become professional baseball players.”

Watts-Clarke served as the student representative to the UVI Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2013. “It was great to be a part of the board and being a part of making various decisions for the University and, most importantly, representing the students,” she says. Watts-Clarke also served as Golden Key Honor Society treasurer, vice president and president, which allowed her to travel to attend workshops and regional summits. “My UVI experience was amazing,” she says. 

After earning her bachelor’s in education, Watts-Clarke will return to UVI to earn a master’s degree in computer science. She loves teaching and her dream is to own and operate a childcare center offering afterhours care to meet the needs of single parents that may need their children tutored, fed and nurtured after 5:30 p.m. “I do look forward to becoming an educator on island,” says Watts-Clarke.

Senior Erick Willie to Become First Tubist to Graduate from UVI

UVI music student Erick Willie will become the first tubist to graduate from UVI. He will earn a bachelor’s degree in music education and will graduate magna cum laude.

Originally from St. Croix, Willie transferred to the University’s St. Thomas Campus as a freshman. “In the beginning it was a bit rough because I had not been playing for a year,” he says. But with the help of many of the professors in the Music Department he was able to adjust. 

UVI music student Erick Willie

Willie credits the arrival of UVI music Professor Dr. Leroy Trotman, two years ago, for helping him to excel. “It’s been a blessing since he has come here to the University,” he says. “He has so many resources and he saw my potential as a tuba player.” Dr. Trotman was only required to instruct Willie once a week, but took it upon himself to add an additional lesson. “For the past two years, I have been training under his directions and it has been awesome,” says Willie. 

“I am so pleased with his growth,” says Dr. Trotman. “Mr. Willie is the ideal student in music. I am hoping to see more students like him coming through the Music Department and other schools at UVI.”

The tuba is known for an ‘Umpa Umpa’ sound, but Willie is able to make melody come from a tuba. With his talent, Dr. Trotman says Willie will be able to teach his future students through instruction and by example. “I can sit here and say all of us should be really proud,” says Dr. Trotman. It is his hope that Willie will work for few years before continuing his education. “I am 100 percent sure it would benefit him even more if he earned a master’s degree in performing arts for the tuba,” he says.

Willie has served as the public relations officer for the St. Thomas Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society and is a Thurgood Marshall College Fund Walmart First Generation Scholar Mentor at UVI. He is also president of Musicians On A Rise and a member of Who’s Who Among American Universities and Colleges. Willie is the recipient of scholarships from the Board of Education and a two-time recipient of the Kenneth E. Harrigan Scholarship.

After commencement, Willie hopes to be gainfully employed as a band director/music teacher on St. Croix. He has always known that he wanted to be an educator. “As a teacher I hope to mold young minds and help them to see the importance of music and the arts in education,” says Willie. “I do understand that academics are top priority, but music and the arts in general help students to unwind and get into their own emotional side where they can enhance the academics. People who participate in music tend to do a lot better in the mathematics, sciences and English because they are using all parts of the brain.”

Willie continued, “I plan to make a positive impact to put some pressure on the young males to excel in school.” He plans to let them know it is okay to be academically talented and okay to go to college instead of going out looking for a job after high school.

_______________________________________________________

UVI Commencement 2014 – At a Glance…

St. Thomas: Saturday, May 17, 2014

Sports & Fitness Center, St. Thomas Campus     Time: 7 p.m.

St. Croix: Sunday, May 18, 2014

Campus Grounds, Albert A. Sheen Campus         Time: 2:30 p.m.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - Harvard Professor, Filmmaker, Literary Scholar

Additional Honorary Degree Recipients:

            Hon. Ron de Lugo and Horace Clarke

More Information: UVI 2014 Commencement Details (click to view)

_______________________________________________________

UVI Receives Largest Gift Ever to Develop New Medical School

 Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria speaks, as honored guests look on. Seated from left: Schneider Regional Medical Center CEO Dr. Bernard Wheatley, Juan F. Luis Hospital CEO Dr. Kendall Griffith, Boston University School of Medicine Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of the Office of Medical Education Dr. John Wiecha, Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone, Governor John P. de Jongh Jr., and UVI President Dr. David Hall.

When Dr. David Hall was inaugurated as the University of the Virgin Island’s president in 2010, he asked the UVI community to share his vision of greatness. On April 25, one of those visions moved closer to reality when UVI announced a $30 million gift for the development stage of a medical school in the territory. Both the gift and the medical school are historic for UVI and the Virgin Islands.

“There are times when a compelling vision is delayed because of the absence of resources, both human and capital,” said Dr. Hall at the Government House announcement. “There are times when a compelling need goes unaddressed because we are not courageous enough to overcome our fears of failure. There are times when progress is held captive by the forces of doubt and division.” He continued, “This day has been ushered into existence because the University, working collaboratively with so many dedicated individuals and institutions, had created a vision, secured critical capital resources, conquered our fears and is now ready to step out on faith so that we can help enhance the quality of healthcare in the Virgin Islands, and thus improve the lives of so many individuals in the territory.”

The $30 million gift was made by New Generation Power (NGP) and its Chairman, Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria and was announced one week after a unanimous vote by the UVI Board of Trustees allowing President Hall to commence the development phase for the medical school that UVI will develop in partnership with the Territory’s two hospitals – Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas and Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix.

“This is a historic day in the life of the University of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands,” said President Hall. “Dr. Kathuria’s gift is the largest in the history of the University, and its impact will last for generations to come. Many Virgin Islanders will receive improved healthcare because of this generous gift,” he said.

VI Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. and UVI President David Hall

Discussion and planning for the medical school began in 2010 with the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), which has been very instrumental in helping UVI move in this direction. Some BUSM students have been taking their fourth year electives at Schneider Regional Medical Center for the last two spring semesters.

“We congratulate our UVI colleagues on this generous gift,” said Dr. Karen Antman, dean of the Boston University School of Medicine. “The development of a medical school will attract medical faculty to the islands and foster collaboration among VI hospitals,” Dr. Antman said. “Graduates will consider establishing practices in the VI, raising the number of physicians and improving access to health care.”

The goal of the project is to develop a high-quality medical education program that relies heavily on the use of innovative teaching techniques, educational technology, and community care training that produces knowledgeable and caring physicians committed to helping the Virgin Islands’ communities, President Hall explained. This transformative endeavor for the VI and the University will present an opportunity for the Territory to establish the only English-speaking medical school in the Caribbean accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the group that accredits medical schools in the United States and Canada.

According to President Hall, LCME-accreditation will ensure that UVI develops a high quality medical school that operates according to the highest academic standards. A medical school in the Virgin Islands would enhance the quality of healthcare, help address the nation’s and Territory’s anticipated physician workforce shortages in the future, help populate the physician workforce in the VI and Caribbean with the regions’ own residents and citizens, and contribute to economic development.

Dr. Kathuria, a global entrepreneur and innovator, has founded and built multiple businesses that have generated shareholder wealth and created numerous jobs worldwide. He founded NGP, a global developer, investor, owner and operator of infrastructure assets in three key areas – utility scale power generation, distributed generation, and mining exploration and extraction. Recently, NGP, a Chicago-based renewable energy company, together with UVI, signed a landmark power purchase agreement for a solar panel project on UVI’s two campuses.

Dr. Kathuria, who holds a medical degree, in describing his motivation for the gift said: “We are honored to be part of this historic endeavor that will significantly improve the healthcare of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our goal with the USVI medical school is to establish new trends in providing health care using advanced technology, such as remote healthcare monitoring and diagnoses, and cutting edge research that could lead to improved health outcomes for people globally.”

“Always try to make the world a little better place before you leave,” said Dr. Kathuria quoting his father. “We hope that what we’re doing here will help improve the quality of life of all the people of the Virgin Islands.”

Virgin Islands Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. has also committed to help provide funding for the medical school, creating a public and private partnership that President Hall said is essential for success.

UVI Board of Trustees Chairman Alexander A. Moorhead, VI Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr., Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria, and UVI President David Hall pose for a photo at Government House.

“By approving the development of the medical school just last week and endorsing the gift agreement with Dr. Kathuria of New Generation Power, the UVI Board of Trustees has taken a major step forward in the development of the Virgin Islands,” Gov. de Jongh, Jr. said. “The Virgin Islands is truly fortunate to be eligible for accreditation of its planned medical school. America's Liaison Committee on Medical Education is the accreditation body for medical schools in the United States and Canada, and it would also extend its authority to the Virgin Islands, as the only English-speaking United States territory in the Caribbean,” he continued. “This advantage over every other medical school in the Caribbean will put UVI's Medical School on the map and ensure its success.”

“I fully expect that the opening of the medical school will change the health care landscape of the Virgin Islands, as well as enhance the University of the Virgin Islands’ reputation as the preeminent learning institution in the region,” Gov. de Jongh added.

Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone, some senators of the 30th Legislature and UVI President Emeritus Dr. Orville Kean were on hand for announcement.

“We are in support of having this medical school and stand ready to assist the University and administration in this endeavor,” said Sen. Malone of himself and his colleagues in the 30th Legislature. He noted the positive economic impact that the medical school will have on the territory.

Delegate Christensen said her office has reached out to the U.S. Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Congressional Research Office to seek what funding would be available for construction purposes. “We look forward to working with all concerned to the fruition of this establishment of a University of the Virgin Islands School of Medicine,” she said.

“Establishing a medical school in the United States Virgin Islands will give this Territory an opportunity to grow its own qualified doctors and workforce that will help alleviate the future healthcare needs in the territory,” said Schneider Regional Medical Center CEO Dr. Bernard Wheatley.

“We at the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital are excited and primed to do our part to ensure that this medical school will be a success,” said Juan F. Luis Hospital (JFL) CEO Dr. Kendall Griffith. “Dr. Hall you have at your side very qualified and dedicated physicians who are ready and eager to create an academic environment at JFL.”

“I am very excited about this,” said Kimberlee Smith, UVI Student Government Association President on the St. Thomas Campus. “Not only will the medical school bring students to the University of the Virgin Islands, but it will expose students already enrolled at UVI to the medical field. Dr. Hall is doing an awesome job.”

She continued, “This is an opportunity to bring more people into the Virgin Islands.”

“I am really glad it came into fruition in such a short time,” said Kevin Dixon, UVI SGA President on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. “I am really glad that it is going to benefit students and the territory as a whole.”

Dr. Kathuria’s gift will allow UVI to begin the development stage, which includes creating a curriculum, developing affiliation agreements with the hospitals and clinics, developing partnerships with other medical schools and hospitals, and commencing the accreditation process with the LCME. UVI will create an endowment fund that will provide continuous funding for the medical school. UVI is currently in talks with Dr. Benjamin Sachs to act as dean of the new medical school. He is former dean of the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, La.

Securing additional development and operational funding remains a goal for the project. The University estimates that $10 million from local and national donors is still needed to make the medical school a reality. Tuition costs are estimated to be below market for Caribbean medical schools and UVI hopes to enroll its first class in 2016-2017.

UVI had collaborated with NGP before. Last August, UVI entered into a power purchase agreement with NGP to build a three-megawatt photovoltaic system that is expected to produce 4.5 million kilowatt-hours annually. The system will use approximately 4.2 acres on the St. Thomas Campus and 3.9 acres of the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.

Dr. Godfrey: Working to Feed the World through Scientific Research

Dr. Robert Godfrey, director of the University of the Virgin Island’s Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) and professor of animal science on UVI’s Albert A. Sheen Campus

Self-proclaimed Caribbean cowboy Dr. Robert Godfrey loves going riding. Equally, he can’t wait to don his scuba gear and dive in the vibrant waters of St. Croix on the weekends. But what really excites him is scientific animal research.

Dr. Godfrey, director of the University of the Virgin Island’s Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) and professor of animal science on UVI’s Albert A. Sheen Campus, is conducting research on how Caribbean hair sheep and Senepol cattle have been able to adapt to the warm humid climate in the Caribbean, while their mixed breed counterparts don’t fare as well.

In March, he was a guest lecturer at Kansas State University in the Department of Animal Science and Industry. His presentation was a part of the Advance Distinguish Lecture Series sponsored by the Kansas State Office for the Advancement of Women in Science and Engineering. Dr. Godfrey, who received a Bachelor of Science in animal science and industry from Kansas State in 1980, was nominated by Dr. Lindsey Hulbert, associate professor of physiology and behavior at Kansas State. Drs. Godfrey and Hulbert are collaborators on a USDA-NIFA W-2173 multistate research project titled “Impacts of Stress Factors on Performance, Health, and Well-Being of Farm Animals.” Dr. Godfrey was able to discuss his research with undergraduate and graduates students and faculty.

Senepol cattle

In an attempt to find out why Senepol cattle fare better than cross-bred cattle, Dr. Godfrey began measuring their body temperature by using thermal imaging, rectal thermometers, or indwelling temperature probes. He has also done some research with colleagues from Cornell University, the University of Arizona and the University of Hawaii on monitoring the sweating rate of cattle. Senepol cattle sweat and increase their respiration more than cross-bred cattle that are not as adjusted to the environment.

The St. Croix White Hair Sheep’s body temperatures are cooler than the cross bred hair sheep in the flock. The cross-bred members of the flock are from the Dorper breed found in South Africa – where it is hot and dry. They are not as adapted to the territory’s warm and humid climate. “Our sheep and our cattle are well adapted here,” he says. “We are getting a hand on what traits make them adapted and if there is a way we can select those traits and conduct cross breeding programs to pass on those traits to subsequent generations.”

St. Croix White Hair Sheep

Dr. Godfrey and a University of the Virgin Islands Research Specialist Whitney George presented their research at the Southern Section American Society of Animal Science meetings this year in February and presented poster presentations on UVI’s Research Day on April 10.

“We hope that we can look at and develop ways to help the farmers come up with more economic ways of producing their livestock,” he says, adding that based on his findings farmers may change the way they breed, feed, or select traits for their animals. Dr. Godfrey focuses his research on heat stress as well as the limitation of water. These areas are of much interest to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provide most of the funding for his research.

He says that the heat stress research he is conducting is closely related to the climate change issue. “We are kind of like the canary in coal mine almost,” Dr. Godfrey says. “It’s already warm here.” He is looking at which farming practices can be developed and utilized that will increase high levels of production, whether it is livestock or crops, under these conditions. Animals and certain crops in the territory have adapted to our warm humid environment, he says. In fact, hair sheep in the territory have developed some resistance to parasites that devastate sheep on the mainland. Finding out how or why they are resistant will allow farmers to use less medicine to treat their sheep, thus providing a more wholesome food source.

Through consistent thorough research, Dr. Godfrey hopes to continue to find answers to agricultural mysteries. “I just get excited about the science,” he says. “I like asking questions and trying to find the answers.”

While on Facebook, one day, he found a quote that he feels best describes his role in the world. It said, “I didn’t need a plumber today, I didn’t need an architect, I didn’t need a cab driver, but I needed a farmer because I have to eat every day.”

“We feed people,” Dr. Godfrey says. “Our research helps produce food eventually. Everybody eats.” He continues, “We help produce what people eat. That’s always a nice feeling to know you’re helping in that respect. I’m not out there farming, producing stuff and selling it to the market directly, but hopefully people will use the tools and the things we develop to help enhance their productivity and feed the world. That’s one of our big goals.”

UVI Researchers ID Possible Cause of White Plague Coral Disease

UVI Researcher Dr. Marilyn E. Brandt inspects a colony of the large grooved brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) in the coral reef at Botany Bay at eight meters (26 feet) depth on Aug. 26, 2006. The coral was affected by a white plague disease, after the 2005 coral bleaching event. The darker brown-beige colors are living tissue and the gray areas are portions that were recently killed by the disease.

The Virgin Islands are known as a hot spot for tourism – snorkeling, diving, deep sea fishing, sailing and cruise ship visits. Unfortunately, say researchers at the University of the Virgin Islands, the territory is also a hotspot for coral disease. They have turned their attention to a specific threat to the territory’s coral reefs, known as white plague, which is one of the more abundant diseases killing coral here.

Recent investigations of the causes of severe coral diseases in Virgin Islands waters, led by Dr. Marilyn Brandt of UVI’s Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, have identified viruses as a potential coral pathogen. Collaborating with Dr. Brandt on the study were Dr. Tyler Smith of UVI, Dr. Rebecca Vega-Thurber of Oregon State University and Oregon State Ph.D. graduate student Nitzan Soffer.

“The research suggests that white plague disease is associated with and may be caused by viruses,” Dr. Brandt said. “This is the first study of its kind that has identified viruses as a potential coral pathogen.” The research also showed the disease was triggered by contact of living coral tissue with sand and sediment after Hurricane Earl on Aug. 30, 2010.

That, hopefully, is a step toward achieving Dr. Brandt’s overall goal, which is “to try to understand the disease so that we can better manage it or even prevent it.” She first encountered white plague on a dive trip to the Cayman Islands in 1999. “It’s been a topic of my primary research since my undergrad days,” she said. “It was devastating to watch your favorite dive site just being destroyed because of this disease that we didn’t know anything about.”

White plague disease is known to affect more than 30 species of coral and was responsible for killing large amounts of coral after a warming event hit the territory in 2005, according to Dr. Brandt. In the 1990s, the disease was originally thought to be associated with a bacterial pathogen, but Dr. Brandt says “conflicting results from more recent studies, like ours, suggest that the causal agent may be more complex than originally thought.”

Brandt’s study, detailed in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, noted that “colony fragmentation and contact with sediment played primary roles in the initial appearance of disease, but that the disease was capable of spreading among colonies, which suggests secondary transmission is possible through some other, unidentified mechanism.”

“Understanding what is occurring on a small scale in a location like Brewer’s Bay (where the study was conducted) has high relevance for researchers throughout the Caribbean,” Dr. Smith said. In addition to his UVI research, he serves as research coordinator for the V.I.’s Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program, which was established by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Healthy coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on earth, according to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. They provide valuable and vital ecosystem services, serving as a source of food for millions, protecting coastlines from storms and erosion, and providing habitat, spawning and nursery grounds. Dr. Brandt thinks Virgin Islanders should be as concerned as she is about the plight of coral. “Corals provide the habitat. They are the ecosystem engineers for all the coral reefs which produce the things we like – like fish and conch and lobster. If the corals die and crumble away you don’t have that,” she said. “Without the corals which are the fundamental builders of that system we would lose much.”

The local research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the NSF-supported Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR). Recent improvements in the marine science facilities at UVI helped to make these studies possible. Dr. Brandt and UVI were also awarded a grant from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program to continue studies of this and other important coral diseases in the territory.

Brandt’s research has garnered international attention in papers based on the study published in 2013 in two scientific journals – PLOS ONE in February, and the International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal (ISME J) in September. It also drew national attention from the NBC News-Science website in October.

Journal entries based on Dr. Brandt’s study are available from the following websites:

· PLOS ONE:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0057164

Submitted late 2012 - Published Feb. 20, 2013 – The Ecology Piece - Disturbance Driven Colony Fragmentation as a Driver of a Coral Disease Outbreak

· International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal:

http://www.nature.com/ismej/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ismej2013137a.html

Potential Role of Viruses – Soffer – primary author of second study – analysis of lab data

Study results are also featured on the NBC News-Science website:

· http://www.nbcnews.com/science/virus-may-be-causing-deadly-coral-white-plague-epidemic-caribbean-8C11397317

UVI’s Center for Marine and Environmental Studies was established in 1999. It is a research and outreach arm of UVI's Marine Science Program. UVI’s College of Science and Mathematics offers degree programs in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Marine Biology, Mathematics, Physics and Process Technology.

UVI STEM Graduates Excel Beyond National Average

UVI students conduct experiments on the University's Albert A. Sheen Campus.

Doctoral degrees are closer to reality for University of the Virgin Islands Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates than their national counterparts. Estimates are that nationally only 50 percent of students who start Ph.D. programs in the sciences complete their degrees. UVI data shows that 88 percent of the students in the Minority Access to Research Careers program that start working on a Ph.D. complete that degree. In 2013, five UVI STEM alumni have completed Ph.D.’s.

• Bertrum Foster (‘03), mathematics major, earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from Howard University.
• Shana Augustin (‘06), biology major, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in neuroscience.· Jennifer (Greaux) Thomas (‘06), chemistry major, earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at Florida International University.
• Kailah Davis (‘07), computer science major, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Utah in biomedical informatics.
• Verleen McSween (‘07), biology major, earned a Ph.D. in vision science from the Indiana University and now has a postdoctoral position at the Indiana University School of Optometry.

Long term data shows that 14 percent of UVI’s Bachelor of Science graduates in the fields of biology and chemistry complete Ph.D. degrees. Approximately 13 percent of these graduates complete medical degrees. Others complete masters degrees, degrees in pharmacy, dentistry and other fields.


“It feels wonderful to have a high rate of alumni obtaining Ph.D. degrees from highly competitive doctoral programs,” said Dr. Teresa Turner, UVI marine biology professor. “The fact that UVI alumni can be so successful speaks to the high quality of the UVI undergraduate experience.”


Dr. Turner said that the curriculum at UVI is rigorous and the grading standards are high. The University’s faculty members involve students in research and UVI has partnerships with a large number of institutions where undergraduates can have summer research experiences, including Boston University, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Iowa, the University of Florida, and others. UVI alumni have also gone on to earn prestigious graduate fellowships.


“I am proud of UVI’s alumni,” said Dr. Turner. “They conduct research that has an impact on the territory, the nation, and the world. Many alumni are conducting research in areas including coral reefs, fisheries, HIV, stem cells, eye diseases, immunology, neuroscience and the use of computer science techniques to gain information from medical records.”


“UVI encourages its graduates to seek higher degrees,” she said. “Our goal is to prepare our students for leadership positions in the Virgin Islands, nationally, and internationally. We would love to have a higher percentage of the faculty at UVI be UVI graduates. These alumni provide role models for our students.”


So far at least two of UVI’s recent alumni have granted her wish. Dr. Yakini Brandy (‘07) earned a bachelor’s of science in chemistry from UVI. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry from Howard University in 2012 and is currently employed at UVI as a chemist. Dr. Bertrum Foster, assistant professor of mathematics, returned to UVI this spring as a faculty member.


In an effort to inspire undergraduate students to earn graduate degrees, alumni are urged to come back to the territory to share their research experience. Dr. Shana Augustin, a neurophysiologist, returned to the University as part of the Emerging Caribbean Scientist’s research seminar series in September of 2013. She shared the process, insights and results of the Parkinson’s disease research she is conducting at the University of Chicago. The title of Dr. Augustin’s seminar was “Cyclic AMP and Afferent Activity Govern Bidirectional Synaptic Plasticity in Striatopallidal Neurons.”


Dr. Turner said that earning a doctoral degree trains students to become leaders in research and policy. There are many advantages for students who earn Ph.D.’s:


· People with Ph.D. degrees earn higher salaries.


· People with Ph.D.’s have low unemployment rates.


· Ph.D. holders can work in government, in industry, in universities or become entrepreneurs.

· In the sciences, tuition is waived in doctoral programs and students are paid for the research they conduct.

Social Science Building Grand Opening - St. Thomas Campus

UVI’s Social Sciences Department hosted a grand opening ceremony of its newly remodeled building on the St. Thomas Campus on Thursday, Feb. 27. The ceremony included presentations by Dr. Simon B. Jones-Hendrickson, dean of UVI’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, President David Hall, and featured speaker former Governor and UVI Professor Emeritus Dr. Charles W. Turnbull. (Click photo to view larger image.)

From left, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean Dr.
Simon B. Jones-Hendrickson, UVI President Dr. David Hall, and
Interim Vice Provost for Research and Public Service Dr. Frank Mills.

Dr. Dion Phillips

Dr. Malik Sekou

Dr. Charles W. Turnbull

UVI students, from left, Elvaneice Huggins, Khaliesha Dias
and Verlyndeh Rogers pose before of a mural they
painted in the entry foyer of the newly remodeled
Social Sciences Building on UVI’s St. Thomas Campus. 

Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson
with retired Associate Professor
of Social Work Adelle Belle-Barry.

VI Calypso King
Patrick “Soljah” Farrell 

 



































The morning also included a musical presentation by the reigning VI Calypso Monarch Patrick “Soljah” Farrell, who is also a UVI student, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the Social Sciences Building.  Along with Gov. Turnbull, numerous former Social Sciences faculty and staff attended the opening. Social Sciences Chair Dr. Dion Phillips and former Dean and Chair of Social Sciences Dr. Malik Sekou served as masters of ceremony.

The renovated Social Sciences building features a dean’s office,
11 faculty offices, a Psychology Lab shown here, and a conference
room that will feature videoconferencing.

Black History Month Challenge

SGA – from left, Kareme Thomas, Denikaa Harrigan, Jahbari Dessout and Denaesha Phipps.

The Student Activities Center on UVI’s St. Thomas Campus was abuzz with action on Thursday, Feb. 27, as the Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a Black History Month Expo and Presentation Competition. Various student groups choose remarkable individuals to honor at their informational tables. Chosen were: reigning Miss UVI Murchtricia Charles – by the Queen’s Committee, radio personality Addie Ottley – by the Rotaract Club, former and current UVI presidents, Drs. LaVerne Ragster and David Hall – by the SGA main table, Bob Marley – by the St. Kitts and Nevis Association, the late Nicholas “Daddy” Friday – by the Carnival Committee, and poet Maya Angelou – by the Alpha Kappa Sorority. (Click on photos for larger view.)

Carnival Committee – from left, Sher-Laura Rivera and Khalil Dias.

Alpha Kappa Sorority – from left, 
Samantha Daniel and Gemel Joseph.

Queen’s Committee – Shania Shervington. 

Rotaract Club – from left, Sephar Callwood, Naline

Ramnaraine and Ranisha Mascole.

St. Kitts and Nevis Association – from left, Shaun Seabrookes, Ralda Claxton, Andrea Wilson and Cashkim Bussue.

UVI’s Kevin Dixon Named White House All-Star

Dedicated, innovative, resourceful and dependable are just a few words that spring to mind when persons are asked to describe University of the Virgin Islands Student Government Association (SGA) President Kevin Dixon. Earlier this month, it became apparent that people at UVI or in the Virgin Islands, for that matter, were not the only ones who know of his stellar leadership abilities. Dixon was named a 2014 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) All-Star in February. The All-Star selection is part of a White House Initiative that recognizes 75 undergraduate, graduate and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership and civic engagement.  

Dixon was selected from 445 students currently enrolled at 62 HBCUs. Each student submitted completed applications that included a transcript, resume, essay, and recommendation.  

“I am humbled and honored to be selected as a White House Initiative on HBCUs 2014 All-Star student,” said Dixon, a senior majoring in business management and business administration with a concentration in marketing on UVI’s Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. “This is an opportunity and a distinction that I am ecstatic to be a part of. I am privileged to be among students who continue to excel and make a positive impact at their respective universities and their broader communities.”

“Kevin Dixon is phenomenal,” said Janelle Royer, SGA outreach coordinator on the Albert A. Sheen Campus. “He is sincere, fair, and a dedicated worker. If he makes a commitment to do something be assured that he will do all he can to execute it well. Mr. Dixon is and I pray will continue to be, a valued asset to society now and in the future. I am proud of him for he deserves to be named a 2014 HBCU All-Star.”

“As the leader for the Student Government Association on St. Croix, Kevin ensures a professional interaction with all on behalf of the SGA. He works on behalf of the students in all that he does and he is an able, punctual and reliable representative on many university committees,” said UVI Interim Provost Dr. Camille Mckayle. “That others recognize what we have known for a long time is no surprise.  Kevin certainly is an ‘All-Star.’”

Over the course of the next year, the HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative by providing outreach to and communication with their fellow students about the value of education and the initiative as a networking resource. Through social media and their relationships with community-based organizations, the All-Stars will share promising and proven practices that support opportunities for all young people to achieve their educational and career potential.

 In addition, the 45 female and 30 male All-Stars will participate in regional events and web chats with Ivory Toldson, deputy director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, other initiative staff and professionals from a wide range of disciplines. They will also have opportunities to engage with other scholars to showcase individual and collective talent across the HBCU community.

“One of my responsibilities as an ambassador is that, I am charged with promoting the value of education,” said Dixon. This role ties in directly with my role as the chairperson of the Shadow Our Students Committee.”  The Shadow Our Students Program brings over 200 high school students each year to the UVI campus to show them the importance of higher education. The students sample college life and are encouraged to start their own vision of college achievement.

 Dixon initiated the “Swagg” campaign - “Students with a Greater Goal” and the “Plant the Seed” initiative. Through this project, UVI students mentor fifth and sixth grade students in elementary schools on the importance of a higher education. It is an initiative of “The Shadow Our Students Program.” “I am truly excited to continue to promote the value of education,” Dixon said.

Dixon is a Virgin Islands Legislative Youth Advisory Council member, Thurgood Marshall College Fund student ambassador, Honorary Degree Committee student representative, Virgin Islands Youth Advocacy Coalition Board of Directors member, University Senate student representative and a St. Croix Presidential Advisory Council student representative.

 “Kevin takes his role as mentor and leader seriously; using his considerable talents to bring out the best in those around him; including his fellow UVI students and also our island’s younger students,” said Patricia Towal, interim dean of students on the Albert A. Sheen Campus. “Dixon, ever the gracious gentleman, brings enthusiasm, sparkling leadership and determined diligence to every project to which he turns his attention. We are thrilled to see his leadership recognized and rewarded by this honor.”

 “I know President Dixon to be a man of great integrity and uprightness. Because of this, his gifts will always take him to great places,” said Joshua Edwards, UVI Board of Trustees student representative. “He has the ability to stay on the top and make great changes. This accomplishment is just another step to the greatness that his character and leadership skills have afforded him.”

UVI Communications Majors Make Big Splash in Territory, World

UVI graduate April Fale-Knight announces the launch of WUVI , while UVI communications Professor Dr. Alexander Randall (left) and UVI communications graduate Leslyn Tonge stand in the background.

The University of the Virgin Islands Communication program is making a resounding impact in the region and beyond. Many of UVI’s former majors are now positioned in the communications industry as they provide news and information to the public. Within the last three years alone, the University’s success rate has sky-rocketed and includes the following graduates and seniors.

• April Rose Fale-Knight (‘11) is a news reporter with News 2 on CBS TV2, where she occasionally fills in as anchor, a reporter with VI Source, an online newspaper, and station manager of WUVI. She is based on St. Thomas. (St. Thomas Campus)

• April Glasgow (‘09) is communications officer at the Ministry of Finance, British Virgin Islands. (St. Thomas Campus)

•  Sana Hamed (‘09) works at GM Financial in Dallas, Texas and produces newsletters for this division. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• Jaedee Caines (‘10) editor of the Nevis Island Administration’s Department of Information and has just started graduate school with the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. (St. Thomas Campus)

• Malkia Morton (‘11) completed a  master of arts in international public relations and global communications management at the Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom and is an intern with Development Counsellors International, a marketing firm in New York, that handles the United States Virgin Islands’ tourism account.  (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• · Sean David (‘11) operates S Dot Films, a production company, in Los Angeles, California. (St. Thomas Campus)

UVI Communications Graduate Jaedee Caines

•  Nesha David (‘11) was formally with ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation in St. Kitts, and is now communications and research officer for the Department of Constituency Empowerment for the Government of St. Kitts/ Nevis. (St. Thomas Campus)

• Shauna Tucker (‘12) is a reporter at the Avis Newspaper, on St. Croix. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• Sheniqua Robinson (‘13) is a reporter with News 2 on CBS TV2 based on St. Croix. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• Wyndi Ambrose (‘13) is a freelance reporter for the Avis Newspaper on St. Croix. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• Jonathan Paul (‘13) is a reporter at the VI Source, an online newspaper. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

• Leslyn Tonge (‘13) is an administrative specialist in the Provost’s Office at UVI. (St. Thomas Campus) 

• Twanna Hodge (‘13) is pursuing a master’s degree in library science at the University of Washington. (St. Thomas Campus)

• Rich Motta is a Communications Officer in the Office of Sen. Diane Capehart. (Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix)

“My time at the University of the Virgin Islands was well spent,” said Jaedee Caines. “The television, public speaking and radio courses were beneficial. I am now able to host my own weekly television program all because of the experience I gathered at UVI.” She continued, “Thank you UVI for preparing me for the world of work. I definitely believe that other students can benefit from opportunities at UVI.”

Nesha David said working with her fellow communications majors prepared her for her current post. “I was able to transition very smoothly for my part in the working world,” she said. “It was a seamless transition.”

“We are proud of the successes of UVI’s Communications Program,” said UVI Associate Professor of Journalism Dr. Gillian Royes. “Our goal is to continue to grow along with the world’s changing technology.” Currently, courses are video-conferenced between the St. Thomas Campus, the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and the St. John Academic Center in journalism, public relations, broadcasting and internet media. UVI’s new radio station WUVI, on St. Thomas, which simulcasts from St. Croix, can be found at 1090 AM and online at http://wuvi.am. “Our graduates are achieving carrier success which proves the value of studying the public media at the university level,” said UVI Department of Music, Communication, Art and Theatre Chairperson Dr. Alexander Randall. “We expect to grow the program to reach our neighboring islands and raise the caliber of public media throughout the region.”