VI-EPSCoR 2017 Annual Conference Set for April 6 The Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR) has announced its 2017 annual conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, in the Administration and Conference Center Building, Room 142, at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Thomas Campus.
The community is invited to participate in this conference. This year’s theme is “Transforming Research into Economic Development.” The conference will be a conversation on the research, outreach and education activities that have been facilitated in the territory through VI-EPSCoR’s support and partnerships under the Mare Nostrum Caribbean grant. This will give the community a unique opportunity to learn in greater detail about several of our Mare Nostrum-related activities and to meet with our researchers, partners and potential partners.
For more information, contact Joey DeMarco, outreach coordinator, at (340) 693-1478 or by email at joseph.demarco@uvi.edu
Spring 2017 MBA Comprehensive Exam to be held on April 7 The School of Business Spring 2017 MBA Comprehensive Exam is scheduled from 9 am to 2 pm on Fri., April 7, 2017. The exam will be administrated simultaneously on both the St. Thomas Campus, in B206, and Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix in EVC 303. Deadline to submit application petition is Thurs., March 30, 2017.
For more information, contact Utha Williams at uwillia@uvi.edu
Community Invited to Annual Career Fair on St. Croix on April 5-10 Join us for the annual Career Fair on the Albert A. Sheen Campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, in the Great Hall. Meet potential employers and explore many career pathways. Start preparing for ‘after graduation’ now. Also, there will be a workshop outlining how to maximize your opportunity at a career fair on March 29. More details will follow. Community members are also welcome.
For more information, contact Patricia Towal at 692-4187 or at ptowal@uvi.edu
VIUCEDD Host Its 10th Annual Autism Conference The Virgin Islands University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VIUCEDD) is hosting its 10th Annual Autism Conference on Monday, April 10, on St. Croix in the Great Hall at the University of the Virgin Islands Albert A. Sheen Campus. On St. Thomas, Wednesday, April 12, in the Administration and Conference Center (ACC) at the University of the Virgin Islands Campus. The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on both islands.
The conference is designed to bring awareness to autism and give parents and professional best practices and access to resources when dealing with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Virgin Islands. The keynote presentation will be “Autism Services in the Virgin Islands: Where We Came From and Where We Are Headed” by Dr. Lindsy Wagner, Psy.D. of Island Therapy Solutions. Additionally, there will be two break-out session topics, “Applications of Applied Behavioral Analysis Across the Lifespan” by Dr. Adriane Maier, BCBA-D and Megan Crowley, MSEd, BCBA, LABA of Island Therapy Solutions as well as “Advancing the Social-communication and Play of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” by Dr. Brian A. Boyd, Ph.D., M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Registration is available online by visiting http://www.eventbrite.com. To register visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/viucedd-11380188567
VICCC to Hosts Centennial Intergenerational Symposium – April 10 Monday, April 10 from 4-6:30 p.m. in the UVI Research and Technology Park (RTP) on Albert A. Sheen Campus, the Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) at UVI with support from the Virgin Islands Transfer Centennial Commission (VITCC) presents the Centennial Intergenerational Symposium (CIS) on UVI Students’ Perspectives 2017-2117. UVI students are facilitating the CIS inclusive of insightful discussions on the Virgin Islands through interactive conversations on the V.I. Centennial period.
Discussion topics include and are not limited to: What is Virgin Islands Transfer Day: Commemoration Celebration or What? Where and which flags are to be flown at VI public buildings? What future status and vision do you have for the VI after the Centennial events? The evening will open with exhibitions of winning entries of student essays and artwork from the CIS competition. Our UVI and V.I. communities Invite you to join us for this UVI student-facilitated intergenerational and community centered event. Please come ready to share your thoughts, perspectives and solutions. A reception will close this event.
Please RSVP by calling Chenzira Kahina at 692-4283 or 692-4272 or e-mail at viccc@live.uvi.edu.
Six to Vie for Miss UVI on Saturday, April 8 The University of the Virgin Islands Student Government Association invites the public to the 37th Annual Miss UVI Ambassadorial Competition at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. This year’s competition, which alternates between campuses, will be held at the St. Croix Educational Complex.
“Once again, we are truly excited to host the Miss UVI Ambassadorial competition on St. Croix,” said Hedda Finch-Simpson, director of Student Affairs on the Albert A. Sheen Campus. “We are very anxious to see which one of the six contestants will be crowned Miss UVI 2017-2018.”
The winner will serve as a goodwill ambassador for UVI locally and abroad during the 2017-2018 academic school year. Six contestants are vying for the chance to succeed Che-Raina Warner, who later went on to be crowned Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.
Contestant number one is Shantee Sookraj, 26. Born on St. Croix, she is a senior nursing major attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.
Contestant number two is Nigencia James, 21. A sophomore communication major, she was born on St. Kitts and is attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
Contestant number three is Cassandra Watson, 21, a senior nursing major. She was born on St. Thomas and is attending UVI on the St. Thomas Campus.
Contestant number four is Angelique Flemming, 19, a sophomore psychology major. She was born on St. Croix and is attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
Contestant number five is Alexandra Abi-Mikhael, 20, a freshman psychology major. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she is now attending UVI on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
Contestant number six is Rachel Arenson, 20, a nursing major. She was born in Lewiston, Idaho, and is attending UVI on the St. Thomas Campus.
All of the contestants will participate in a pre-pageant interview show to be hosted on April 1, at the UVI Great Hall on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, on St. Croix. They will be judged on content, intellect, language fluency, spontaneity, physical presentation, audibility, clarity and information.
The Miss UVI Ambassadorial competition consists of six segments that include business wear, introduction, ambassadorial presentation, talent, evening wear, and question and answer. The contestants will be judged on the same criteria as the pre-pageant interview, appearance, appropriateness, intonation, outfit design and deportment. For the talent segment, contestants will be judged on their expression, natural ability, uniqueness, cohesion, flow and impact.
Miss UVI serves as an ambassador for the University. This role includes, but is not limited to, participation in UVI’s recruitment efforts, and representing the University locally and abroad. Miss UVI is also expected to maintain high visibility on UVI’s campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
The reigning Miss UVI, Che-Raina Warner, attends UVI on the St. Thomas Campus and is a senior communications major. Born on St. Kitts, she aspires to become a news anchor/reporter. She used her title to promote her platform, “The Beauty Myth.”
The winner will receive one full year of UVI tuition, including room and board, along with other prizes. Awards will also be presented for the Most Intellectual Speaker, Best Ambassadorial Presentation, Best Performing Talent, Best Evening Wear, Miss Congeniality, Miss Popularity and Miss Photogenic. Prizes will be distributed in each category.
The Miss UVI Ambassadorial Competition is presented by the Queen’s Committee of the UVI Student Government Association. Tickets are $25 for current UVI students with valid identification and $35 for the public. Tickets are available in both University bookstores on St. Croix and St. Thomas. Contact Hedda Finch-Simpson, student activities/life director, at 692-4228 for more information.
NSF $300,000 SEAS Your Tomorrow Grant to Educate VI Youth for Careers in STEM The University of the Virgin Islands-led project “Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (SEAS) Your Tomorrow” program was chosen out of 36 grants distributed across the country to be featured in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES): Envisioning Impact Video Showcase. The University of the Virgin Islands, along with Pennsylvania State University, Southern Utah University and local partners, was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from NSF to encourage more students in the U.S. Virgin Islands to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The NSF INCLUDES: Envisioning Impact Program (http://includes2017.videohall.com/) aims to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by creating more pathways through which young people can join the STEM fields. A video showcase will be hosted online from March 20 – 27. To view and comment on the SEAS Your Tomorrow video, which focuses on known drop-out points for students in science, visit http://videohall.com/p/826. During this week, visitors to the site will be able to offer their thoughts and feedback about the project.
“This is a high impact project, and it is exciting that it is being featured on the national stage,” said Kristin Wilson Grimes, principal investigator and assistant professor of Watershed Ecology at UVI. “Not only is the project taking place here in the Virgin Islands, but it also involves the ocean sciences, which are so vital to this community. SEAS Your Tomorrow will create educational opportunities for VI youth, which will open pathways to careers in the ocean sciences.”
SEAS Your Tomorrow is funded by the NSF INCLUDES Program, which provides two years of support for projects that describe new ideas, create targeted initiatives, and forge new models that will improve access to STEM for underserved populations. SEAS Your Tomorrow provides Virgin Islands middle school, high school, early undergraduate and graduate students with support and unique opportunities to pursue their interests in the ocean sciences. The project also builds partnerships between universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, local businesses and professional societies to maximize the impact of targeted activities.
For more information about SEAS Your Tomorrow, visit http://www.seasyourtomorrow.org/ or contact Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes at Kristin.wilson@uvi.edu.
UVI Students Urged to Apply for Summer Internship Opportunity to attend the College of Micronesia The Agricultural Experiment Station has funding to support one UVI student to attend a summer internship at the College of Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia (COM-FSM) on Pohnpei (http://www.comfsm.fm/). The summer internship will be from June 8-27, excluding the travel dates that will be an additional 2-3 days before and after the program.
The student should be interested in pursuing a career in agriculture, food sciences, environment and natural resources or biology related sciences, but this is not required. There will be a combination of classroom and field experience in the various agriculture sectors within private and public sectors. All classes and materials will be offered in English, giving students the information they need to have a written report and an oral presentation completed, which are required by the end of the internship.
Funds will cover round trip travel to Pohnpei from the USVI, a per diem, housing and any other fees required by COM-FSM. Additional funds for supplies may also be provided if needed.
The goal is to provide an experience in tropical agriculture to students from member institutions of CariPac Consortium, which include the University of the Virgin Islands, University of Puerto Rico, University of Guam, Community College of American Samoa, Northern Marianas College and College of Micronesia, Pohnpei, Marshal Islands and Palau.
Application Procedure and Deadline:
By April 12, interested students should be nominated by a faculty member and the student should send a letter of interest and explain how this opportunity would benefit their academic career to Dr. Bob Godfrey, director AES and professor of Animal Science, at rgodfre@uvi.edu. After reviewing students submitted letters, a decision will be made as to which UVI student will travel to Micronesia, and more information on the internship will be provided. For more information, contact Dr. Robert Godfrey at rgodfre@uvi.edu.
For more information on the conference, call 692-4266 (STX) or 693-1406 (STT) or send an e-mail to shamika.thomas@uvi.edu.
Navigating the VI’s Cultural, Economic, and Political Spaces Symposium to be Held on April 8 UVI will host the “Navigating the VI’s Cultural, Economic, and Political Spaces Symposium,” which will be held on April 8. The purpose of this symposium is to provide an opportunity to consider the identity of the Virgin Islands of the United States, from various platforms and positions, as we conclude the 100th year since the transfer of ownership from Denmark to the United States of America.
A registration fee of $25 will be requested from faculty and the public. However, students only have to show their student I.D. to not be charged.
Researchers, scholars, and community activists are invited to present talks and papers that examine the topic of identity, in and of the Virgin Islands, across multiple perspectives, including sociological, psychological, economic, fine and performance art, literary and political.
For more information, contact Dr. Dara Hamilton at 692-4123 or email: dhamilt@uvi.edu.
- I. Academic and Cultural Awards Endowment Scholarship/Loan Opportunity Now Available The Board of Directors of the Virgin Islands Academic and Cultural Awards Endowment (VIACAE) Program is accepting applications for its territorial scholarship program. Virgin Islands residents pursuing graduate studies or cultural projects, are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. Applicants seeking graduate degrees to teach in the Virgin Islands at the secondary level, particularly in areas of mathematics and science, are especially encouraged to apply.
The VIACAE program was created by the Virgin Islands Legislature in 1970. It provides financial support to eligible VI residents with a desire to advance their academic and professional studies, and also to those with a desire to engage in Cultural Projects that will provide significant benefit to the people of the Virgin Islands.
For more information and links to scholarship applications see this link http://www.uvi.edu/administration/provost/initiatives/viacae.aspx. The application deadline is Friday, April 28.
For more information, contact Mavis Gilchrist in the Office of the Provost at 692-4285 or by e-mail at mgilchr@uvi.edu.
Attention 2017 Graduates- Report to AAS Campus Bookstore for Cap & Gown Order UVI 2017 graduates are asked to submit their cap and gown measurements to the Albert A. Sheen Campus Bookstore by Friday, March 24. Any orders placed after that day will incur a $75 express shipping fee. Anticipated arrival is the first week of May 2017. An email notification will be sent when Commencement Regalia arrive at the bookstore.
For more information visit Shay Roberts at shanta.robert@uvi.edu.
- Attorney Genevieve Whitaker- deputy supervisor of the Election System- St. Croix District Albert Bryan Jr.- entrepreneur, executive director of Junior Achievement USVI and Former Virgin Island Department of Labor Commissioner
- Senator Kurt Vialet, former mathematics teacher, assistant principal, senator in 31st and 32nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands
For more information, contact Golden Key Advisor Patricia Towal at 692-4187 or via e-mail at PTowal@uvi.edu.
TEAS Testing Scheduled for Spring 2017 Semester The University of the Virgin Islands is pleased to announce testing dates for the TEAS exam. The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is used as part of the admissions process by Nursing and Allied Health schools nationwide. UVI students who desire to enter the School of Nursing are required to sit for the TEAS exam. The TEAS exam is a basic aptitude test designed to identify students who are likely to succeed in nursing school and have the ability to think like a nurse. It is a multiple-choice assessment of basic academic knowledge in Reading, Mathematics, Science and English. The four sections are timed for a total of approximately four hours.
Testing Centers are located at the UVICELL Center on their respective islands. On St. Croix, the UVICELL Center is located at 23A Hospital Street, Frederiksted. On St. Thomas, the testing site is located at the UVICELL Center on the UVI St. Thomas Campus.
The testing schedule is as follows:
St. Croix
- 12:45 p.m. – Saturday, March 25
St. Thomas
- 9:30 a.m. – Wednesday, February 22
- 9:30 a.m. – Thursday, March 30
- 9:30 a.m. – Thursday, April 20
For testing fees or more information on the exam, contact the UVICELL Center at 693-1100 on St. Thomas or 692-4230 on St. Croix. Students may also visit the UVICELL Web site at http://cell.uvi.edu/programs/teas-testing.aspx.
