Upward Bound Students Get Taste of College Life on St. Thomas Campus

Students, instructors and organizers in UVI’s St. Thomas campus 2010 Upward Bound Summer Program gathered for this group shot on July 12. Twenty-two St. Thomas students – who will be 10th, 11th and 12th graders in local schools this fall – are spending part of their summer getting a taste of college life compliments of the federally funded Upward Bound Program. The students live on-campus and are taking classes that focus on writing, math and science. The program also features a variety of field trips and other activities. This year three exchange students from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania are participating in Upward Bound on the St. Thomas campus. Another 25 students are participating in this summer’s Upward Bound Program on UVI’s St. Croix campus. For details, visit the Upward Bound web pages in the “Community” section of the UVI web site – http://www.uvi.edu/ or use this direct link.
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Royalty Attends St. John Festival Parade

Photographer Dale Morton, a UVI employee and alum ('83, ‘97), found this trio of reigning royalty - all with ties to the University of the Virgin Islands - participating in the St. John Festival Parade on Monday, July 5. Shown, from left, are Miss US Virgin Islands Universe Janeisha John, a 2009 UVI grad, and current UVI students Miss Virgin Islands Sheniqua Robinson and Miss St. Croix Marcellina Ventura.

St. Thomas Campus Honors Outgoing Provost A.I. Musah

UVI’s outgoing Provost Dr. Al Hassan I. Musah was toasted and lightly roasted at a St. Thomas campus reception on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. Above, Dr. Musah, center, reacts to comments from one of his friends and colleagues who spoke. In brief remarks Dr. Musah encouraged members of the UVI community to continue their support of President David Hall’s efforts to lead the University from good to great. Dr. Hall noted Dr. Musah’s dedication to students and thanked him for his five years of dedicated service as Provost.

At left, Dr. Hall presents Dr. Musah with several tokens of the University’s appreciation. A reception for Dr. Musah is scheduled at 4 p.m. today (July 1) on the St. Croix campus.

UVI Teams Join in 2010 St. Thomas Relay for Life Cancer Society Benefit

UVI students Marjani Christian, left, and Twanna Hodge took the leadoff shift for the University's two 2010 Relay For Life teams participating in the American Cancer Society's fundraising effort which began on Saturday, June 26, on the Charlotte Amalie High School track on St. Thomas. Christian and Hodge are student workers in UVI’s Information Technology Services. Other members of each team - including UVI students, alumni, faculty, staff and administrators - will be walking in shifts through the night. More on the effort and names of other team members are featured on this Relay for Life News Release on the UVI web site – UVI home page.

Small Business Celebrated During Small Business Week

Eric Johnson, center, the owner of Paradise Pictures, was named the Small Business Person of the Year on St. Thomas by the VI Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on June 4. He is congratulated by Gov. John P. deJongh Jr. and SBDC State Director Leonor Dottin. The SBDC Small Business Person of the Year Award on St. Croix went to George and Pristeen Hamilton of Star Marine Agency, LLC. Other awards included the Woman-owned Business Award, Nascent Business of the Year Award, Small Business Advocate of the Year Award, Minority-owned Business of the Year Award and Financial Advocate of the Year Award. Small Business week was celebrated throughout the territory May 31 to June 5. For a complete list of SBDC award recipients visit this direct link.

Fantastic Voyagers Land in St. Thomas

Radio personality Tom Joyner brought his 2010 Fantastic Voyage cruise ship tour to St. Thomas on Thursday, May 20, and was greeted by UVI mocko jumbies – alum Rick Grant (09), at left, and Physics Professor Dr. David Smith. The cruise, sponsored by the Tom Joyner Foundation as a “Party with a Purpose” helps to raise scholarship funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. UVI students, faculty and staff were on hand to welcome the more than 3,000 passengers who spent the day shopping and taking island outings. Below, Tom Joyner Jr. buys UVI t-shirts and caps at the UVI Bookstore tent which was set up at the Havensight Mall dock. Shown with Joyner Jr. are Bookstore Manager Mervin Taylor and Faye Liburd.

UVI Confers 312 Degrees

UVI’s 2010 Commencement keynote speaker Randall Robinson, an internationally respected social justice advocate and author, told graduates on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses that the "torch" had been passed to them and that they were the “hope of the world.” UVI conferred 212 degrees on the St. Thomas campus and 100 on the St. Croix campus in ceremonies held May 15 and May 16, respectively. Class speakers were Jaedee S.K. Caines on St. Thomas and Carmie K. Thompson on St. Croix.

Click here to view the complete 2010 Commencement program, including the lists of graduates on both campuses.

Future Global Leaders Focus on Leading During Natural Disasters

The UVI 2010 Summer Institute for Future Global Leaders opened with a ceremony on May 18, on UVI’s St. Thomas campus. Mark Walters, executive director of the Virgin Islands Emergency Management Agency, was the keynote speaker at the institute’s official opening ceremony. The theme for this year’s institute is “Managing Natural Disasters: A Call for Future Global Leaders."
As the world witnessed the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and the volcano in Iceland, effectively managing natural disasters is one of the most pressing issues for leaders, said Dr. Solomon Kabuka, the institute’s director. One of this year’s highlights, according to Dr. Kabuka, will be the participation of seven students from Haiti. The students will share their experience in the “Forum on Managing Natural Disasters I – The Haitian Experience.” The institute brings together 40 students from 16 countries and 22 university campuses in the Caribbean and the U.S mainland for two weeks of intensive study. For the complete press release click this direct link. Pictured: Juanita Duenez-Lazo, director of International Education at Texas Woman’s University, with Future Global Leaders Institute Director Dr. Solomon Kabuka at the opening ceremony.

Derron Ambrose Named St. Thomas Campus' Top Student Employee

The University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus celebrated the hard work of student employees with Student Employee Appreciation Week April 12-16. It included activities such as a workshop, a social night and an open house. The highlight of the week was the Student Employee Appreciation Awards held on April 15, where the Student Employee of the Year was named. Derron Ambrose, a teacher assistant in the College of Science and Mathematics, won the Student Employee of the Year award. Ambrose was nominated by his supervisor Dr. Donald Drost, a professor in the College of Science and Mathematics. “Thank you for making me look good,” Dr. Donald Drost said to Ambrose. Other nominees for the award were Triola Browne, Rhashaunda Charles, Kelvin Harry and Leann Pickering. The “Lighter Side Awards” were also given out. They award student employees for qualities such as punctuality, initiative and personality. Pictured left to right, Dr. Drost congratulates a smiling Ambrose.

St. Croix Class of 2010 Joins Harborside Rotary Club at Christiansted’s Lighthouse Mission

Shown at the Lighthouse Mission on St. Croix are, from left, (front row) Joel Dorsett, AnnMerrie Hendrickson, Love Felix, Alina Corriette (guest) and Carmie Thompson, and (back row) Alexandra Hinkson, Marva Swanson, Miguelina Neptune, Charmin L. Springer, Viviana Matthew-James and Gloria F. Neale-Felix (guest).

Members and friends of the UVI Class of 2010 - St. Croix campus - joined with volunteers from the Harborside Rotary Club to donate and prepare a breakfast at the Lighthouse Mission in Christiansted's Sunday Market Square on Saturday, April 3. Twelve members of the class including family and friends participated. Class members who were not able to attend gave monetary contributions to purchase food items. The Lighthouse Mission is a faith-based community service organization dedicated to enriching the lives of people in the community. Read more at http://www.lighthousestx.org/.

Class members expressed their thanks to UVI's President Office for sponsoring UVI t-shirts for the event. Other planned class activities include attending a church service as a group, having a class breakfast and conducting a social/dinner event. For more information on the Class of 2010 - St. Croix campus - activities, send email to Charmin Springer at itsourenvironment@yahoo.com or Carmie Thompson at c_rmietom@hotmail.com.