Virgin Islands First Lady Cecile deJongh, second from left, and UVI President Dr. David Hall, back-right, were among supporters attending the kickoff of the Virgin Islands’ Big Read 2010 program on Friday, Jan. 22, on St. John. The V.I. Big Read is part of a national effort to spur a return to reading. It is sponsored by the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts in partnership with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources – Division of Libraries, Archives, UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts and the UVI IT Learning Resources & Student Technology and Services Area, the Department of Education and the V.I. Police Department. UVI students are invited to participate in an essay contest held in conjunction with the Big Read. Students can register at UVI’s libraries on St. Croix and St. Thomas from Jan. 25 through Feb. 12. The contest ends March 3. Winners will be announced during UVI’s Charter Week activities in March.

- Photo courtesy Government House

Musical Journey from Soweto

About 200 public and private school students took part in an artists-in-residence session hosted by UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts on Jan. 15. Members of the Soweto Gospel Choir gave a short version of the performance they planned that evening for the general public. Reichhold co-director Denise Humprhey said students were given informational sheets on the choir before they took part in the special performance so they could ask questions afterwards. Performers were asked about their musical careers, their South African homeland, and the places they had traveled as part of the group and whether they perform rap music … they do.

The Reichhold appearance of the Soweto Gospel Choir is part of the group’s current world tour with scheduled stops in Holland, France and Fiji, among others.

Patient students queue up at one of the stations in the Registrar’s Office in the Administration and Conference Center on the UVI St. Thomas campus Jan. 8. Hundreds of students came to make sure there were seats available in the classes of their choice. Parents and former students also stopped by to help friends and family by collecting information they need to complete the registration process. Administrators spent the day helping those with specific concerns.

Classes for the 2010 spring semester are set to begin for both the St. Thomas and the St. Croix campuses on Jan. 11.

Spring Semester 2010 Set to Begin

Dr. Eustace Esdale, Dean of the UVI Business Division, asks students to signal their intention to study business during the Spring 2010 semester. Close to 100 students attended a Tuesday afternoon presentation covering what it takes to succeed academically as a UVI student. The presentation was part of a day long orientation for new, international, and transfer students who will join the student body when classes begin Jan. 11.

Concert Choir Capturing the Holiday Spirit

With song for the spirit and sweets for the palate, members of UVI’s Concert Choir brought holiday caroling to the Administration and Conference Center on the St. Thomas campus. Fans of Christmas got to enjoy the movable feast twice in a day on Friday, Dec. 11, when the serenaders continued their performance in the Music Building later in the afternoon.

Seasonal Celebrations include a Fond Farewell

This year's holiday festivities at UVI included a fond farewell for Mavis Gilchrist, wrapping up her service of 32 years in the Financial Aid Office on St. Croix. She is seen here in this photo sharing a celebratory cake with well wishers on St. Thomas Dec. 10. Gilchrist was also guest of honor at a banquet held Dec. 5 on St. Croix.
In giving thanks she said she enjoyed every day of her work at the university.

Disney Magic Brings Holiday Cheer to Students on St. Thomas

Mickey Mouse and friends took time off from their duties aboard the cruise ship Disney Magic on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, to brighten the season for scores of St. Thomas students. The Disney characters, assisted by volunteers from the ship’s crew, greeted all the children and handed out gifts during a party at UVI’s Sports and Fitness Center. The children are enrolled in a variety of V.I. Department of Education and V.I. Department of Human Services programs. The activity was organized by the V.I. Department of Tourism and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association.

Turning Ocean Science Research into Management Practice

About 70 researchers, fishermen, government officials and graduate students learned the latest in marine science at the VI-EPSCoR conference, held at the Administration and Conference Center on the St.Thomas campus.

The theme for this year’s conference, held Dec. 4, was “Integrating Science and Management in Island Ecosystems.” The goal was to demonstrate ways to apply information gained through research in daily management practices.

The keynote speaker was Alan Friedlander, research biologist with the Hawaii Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at the University of Hawaii. UVI President, Dr. David Hall, delivered the lunchtime address.

EPSCoR is the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

VI-EPSCoR was established at UVI with a grant from the National Science Foundation in 2004.

Technological Advance May Yield New Course Offering

Stevie Henry from the Eastern Caribbean Center, right, demonstrates the Geographic Information System (GIS) at St. Thomas Dining Pavillion Nov. 25 to Paul Jobsis, left. Henry says the demonstration was meant to call attention to the different uses of geospatial technology and to let students know about a new course offering being developed around the GIS. No formal title has been assigned to the class yet but the subject, he said, will be geospatial technology and geographic inquiry. Henry said the course is intended to benefit students from different fields of study and is expected to be offered in the coming fall semester.

"Jam" Time '09 Set for Friday, 2 p.m.

Members of UVI's Reserve Officer Training Corps practice their steps a few hours before the opening ceremony for the 2009 Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament. UVI's Sports and Fitness Center on the St. Thomas campus provides the venue for the jam, now in its 10th year.

Paradise Jam features competition between top NCAA college basketball teams in the men's and women's divisions. Click here to view the matchups. The games are set to begin Friday at 2 p.m.. Portions of the tournament will be featured live, nationwide, on FOX Sports. Click here to check out the tournament via live via live video stream.