UVI Administrative Holiday Leave Scheduled for Dec. 16 through Jan. 1 The University of the Virgin Islands has announced the following Recess Scheduled for the 2020- 2021 holiday season:
- Last Business Day – December 15, Holiday Recess:
- UVI Closed – Dec. 16, 2020 through Jan. 1
- UVI Open – Monday, Jan. 4, 2021
UVI to Celebrate More Than 370 Degrees Earned by 2020 Graduates This Friday, Dec. 11, the University of the Virgin Islands will commemorate more than 370 degrees earned by graduates in the Class of 2020. A virtual or online ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. for graduates from the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and the St. Thomas Campus. Multiple social media sites will carry the event to include, UVI’s official YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages. Links to these sites will be found on www.uvi.edu.
“This year’s commencement ceremony for the University of the Virgin Islands is the most unique, gratifying and innovative experience of any the university has convened in its history,” said UVI President David Hall. “The 2020 graduates were not able to experience the normal pomp and circumstance, family presence and cheering as graduates in the past. Yet, they are as excited and committed to this virtual ceremony as the ones we had face to face.”
“These graduates have faced and overcome challenges that no other group of students has faced, including hurricanes and a pandemic, and they stand victorious,” said President Hall. “Speakers and honorary degree recipients are all in different locations, yet we all will be embraced by a common spirit of gratitude and celebration.”
Ultimate public servant, inspirational and motivational speaker and distinguished UVI alumnus Hannibal “Mike” Ware will give the keynote address. The University will bestow upon him the honorary degree – Doctor of Humane Letters. Ware holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from UVI.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI Website www.uvi.edu/
UVI Classes in Spring 2021 to be Online and in-Person The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) announced that for Spring 2021 a mixed modality instruction model will be implemented, combining in-person and online learning, as well as on-campus residence living and work.
“The administration has continued to monitor the conditions in the Territory and the various executive orders issued by the governor,” said UVI President David Hall. “As a result of the improvement in overall conditions in the Territory, it is our intention to implement the previous plan in the spring 2021 semester effective Jan. 4, 2021.”
The university has added protective measures to high traffic areas on campus. Two SafePass IDS stations have been initially installed at the Administration and Conference Center Building and East Residence Hall on the St. Thomas Campus to ensure a safe on-campus environment. The devices are capable of reading temperature, scanning and disinfecting persons upon entry into buildings. Other protective measures will include the mandatory wearing of a face mask or shield prior to entry. As students return to campus residence halls, only single-occupancy rooms will be available.
The University of the Virgin Islands will be using the Campus Clear app to facilitate daily self-monitoring for Covid-19 symptoms. This free app provides a short survey, which takes less than 10 seconds to complete, daily. It will be an important part of UVI’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI Website www.uvi.edu/
UVI New Student Orientation Set for Spring 2021
New Student Orientation
The University of the Virgin Islands is pleased to be hosting a Virtual New and Transfer Student Orientation for the Spring 2021 semester. “Orientation includes sessions to introduce new students to UVI, networking with other students and instructors, virtual campus tours and other initiatives of the University,” said Hedda Finch-Simpson, dean of students on the Albert A. Sheen Campus. The St. Thomas Campus will be hosting a pre-orientation meeting at 5:30 p.m., Dec. 8, for new and transfer students. At this meeting, students will be introduced to the Virtual New Student Orientation through the Microsoft Teams Platform, which has a https://www.uvi.edu/news/articles/2020/20_118_uvi_new_student_orientation.aspxcollection of short videos and assignments for students to complete. “As we innovate to keep all of us safe during this public health crisis and maximize the educational experience, we have created a dynamic and flexible orientation platform to start you on your journey to success,” said Verna Rivers, dean of Student Affairs. “The key is to get connected and stay involved as we navigate the challenges. We are here to support students.”
On both campuses of the University, orientation activities will continue on Jan. 2 – 10, 2021. On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, new and transfer students are required to participate in orientation, advising and registration sessions. In addition to the Official Orientation Day Welcome, students are invited to attend the New Student Convocation and Meet Your Academic Dean, sessions on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. “The Division of Student Affairs is prepared to meet the needs of our incoming freshman and newly matriculated students. We do see a very robust and successful semester of student support services,” said Dean Finch-Simpson on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI Website www.uvi.edu/
UVI Mourns the Loss of Ruth E. Thomas The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) joins the Virgin Islands community in mourning the loss of Ruth Elma Thomas, a widely respected linguist and educator who received numerous honors and awards for her outstanding achievements in education and community service. Her efforts to elevate the standards of public education in the Virgin Islands are well-known throughout the community and she made an unforgettable impact in the lives of so many people as a teacher and principal at Charlotte Amalie High School (CAHS). As a member of the Reichhold Foundation Board since its inception, a longtime member of the UVI Board of Trustees, and a part-time UVI faculty member, Thomas brought her expertise and love of teaching and the arts to the University. In recognition of her remarkable contributions to UVI, Thomas was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 2017.
“On behalf of the UVI community, we are saddened to learn of the passing of Ms. Ruth Thomas,” remarked Dr. David Hall, UVI president. “She was a close friend of the University and an avid supporter. Over her distinguished career, she guided students, teachers and administrators on a path to excellence, always determined to improve the future of the Virgin Islands. I extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Thomas,” said Dr. Hall.
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI Website www.uvi.edu/
UVI Students Win Awards at National Virtual ABRCMS Conference 2020 The College of Science and Mathematics are very pleased to announce that three of our UVI undergraduates and one UVI alumnus won awards at the ABRCMS conference last week.
The following winners are:
- Laurie Armstrong, junior psychology major, did her research on an EPE pilot study done here at UVI with her mentor, Aletha Baumann. The title of her poster is “Pilot Study of Taking the English Proficiency Exam (EPE) during English 201”
- Alanica Canonier, a dual major in biology and psychology has been modeling the spread of a coral disease under the mentorship of Robert Stolz and Marilyn Brandt here at UVI. Her poster is titled “Mathematically Modeling the Spread of SCTLD in the United States Virgin Islands”
- Ellaina Wyllis, a biology major, conducted her research at UVI. Her mentor is Lavida Rogers, and her poster is on “Meta-analysis of Gene Expression Variability in Asthma”
- Kwame Forbes, UVI alumnus (BS Biology, class of 2020), is doing a post-baccalaureate research program at the University of North Carolina. The title of his poster is “Integration of Single-Cell Datasets with Bulk Differential Analysis Results for DESeq2”
For additional information, contact Aimee Sanchez at the College of Science and Mathematics at 692-4109 or email aimee.sanchez@uvi.edu
