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HomeNewsArchivesUVI Appoints Director of Honors Program

UVI Appoints Director of Honors Program

Sept. 25, 2008 – The University of the Virgin Islands Honors Program is expected to grow with the addition of a new director, Germaine Lewis, who was hired as the director of the program in the spring of 2008. Approved by the UVI Board of Trustees in 2005, the Honors Program's goal is to provide UVI students with enriched intellectual, leadership and outreach experiences. It offers a specialized instructional plan to a student population that desires an enriched curriculum. It is open to students on both campuses and from all majors. The major criterion for acceptance is a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.3. The competitive acceptance requires interested students who meet the criteria to submit an application, two academic recommendations, a goals statement and a personal essay. Applicants then participate in an interview process. Twenty students are accepted into the program each spring semester. UVI honors students are required to complete five program courses, including the Honors Thesis and Honors Project, which provide a capstone experience for them.
"This program will help to establish the fact that we do produce quality students and we do provide the quality education that most are seeking," said Lewis, a two-time UVI alumna. "The idea is to get Honors students into graduate school," she said, adding that their experiences will also prepare the students for successful completion of their graduate studies.
Honors students must also participate in all Honors-designated activities. One of those activities is mentoring junior high and high school students.
"We want to produce a big circle where we allow our students to be in the Honors Program and they give back, encouraging other students to strive to be in the Honors Program and to fill those slots yearly," Lewis said.
All honors students receive free UVI academic tuition. They also receive the distinction of having on their degrees the words "Honors Designate." Lewis said this designation makes the students more attractive to graduate schools. Another benefit of the program is sponsorship to Honors Program activities. One of those activities was participation in a U.S. Model Congress session in Washington, D.C., in May.
"As it starts to grow and we start to get more students, I can see this being a very beneficial program for UVI," said Lewis, who is also a visiting instructor in the Humanities and Social Sciences Division. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Education from UVI. Lewis also holds a Master of Social Work from Norfolk State University. The former U.S. Air Force member expects to begin courses towards a doctoral degree in social work in 2009.
Recruitment for the program begins in January. For more information, contact Germaine Lewis at 693-1262.

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