First in Series of UVI Golden Jubilee ‘Friday Forums’ Set Feb. 24 The University of the Virgin Islands will launch a new series of academic enrichment programs on Friday, Feb. 24, called "Friday Forums at Fifty: Ideas and Issues." Friday Forums will be conducted monthly throughout 2012, UVI’s 50th anniversary year, and are a major component of the university’s ongoing Golden Jubilee Celebration.
UVI students, alumni, faculty and staff, as well as members of the greater Virgin Islands community are encouraged to participate. The first forum will be hosted by WSTA (Lucky 13) radio personalities Winston Smith and Jean Forde. It will take place from 6:30-8 p.m., and be available via videoconference in Chase Auditorium (B-110) on the St. Thomas campus, in Evans Center Room 401 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, and at the St. John Academic Center in Cruz Bay, St. John.
A full news release on the Friday Forums series is available from the UVI homepage – www.uvi.edu
New UVI Bridge Program Seeking Non-Traditional Students; Info Sessions Set Feb. 27 The University of the Virgin Islands invites interested potential students to information sessions outlining a new, 10-week “bridge program” for non-traditional students who wish to go to college. The free program aims to provide structured assistance with the effort to transition into college for individuals who are considered non-traditional students – those who delayed enrolling in college after high school graduation or earning a GED.
Information sessions outlining the program are scheduled on UVI’s campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27. The St. Thomas session will be held in Room 213 of the Classroom Administration Building. For details or to RSVP on St. Thomas, contact Jennifer Crawford 693-1000 (jpalmer1@uvi.edu). A separate St. Croix session will be held in Evans Center Room 505. For information or to RSVP on St. Croix contact Shari Wiltshire at 692-4003.
A full news release on the Friday Forums series is available from the UVI homepage – www.uvi.edu
Bucs, Lady Bucs Preparing for Home Opener – Homecoming – Feb. 25 The UVI Buccaneers and Lady Bucs varsity basketball squads are preparing for their LAI home openers on Saturday, Feb. 25, with matchups against their Metropolitan University counterparts. The games – which have been designated homecoming at UVI – begin at 6 p.m. with the Lady Bucs tip-off, with the men’s game to follow. Special activities and pre-game festivities are being planned.
In last week’s action, the men’s squad split a pair of road games in Puerto Rico, with the Bucs downing Caribbean University 83-81 on Friday. On Saturday, they lost to Sacred Heart, 93-86. The Lady Bucs, facing the women’s squads at the same two schools, lost to Caribbean University 54-47 and to Sacred Heart 65-53.
The Buccaneer and Lady Bucs 2012 season schedule is available from the Games Schedule tab in the Athletics section of the UVI website – www.uvi.edu
Angelique Kidjo Performs at UVI’s Reichhold Center on Feb. 25 Angelique Kidjo, one of the greatest forces in World music, will perform at UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. A native of Benin, Kidjo’s music is steeped in the tribal and pop rhythms of her West African heritage. Her earthy voice spans musical boundaries, blending funk, salsa, jazz, rumba, makossa and souk. She has 11 albums to her name. More information and tickets are available from the Reichhold Center Web site – www.reichholdcenter.com.
UVI RTPark Schedules Board of Directors Meeting for Feb. 28 The University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park Corporation (RTPark) has scheduled a meeting of the Board of Directors for 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. The meeting will take place in the RTPark Offices on UVI’s Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. Seating is limited. Teleconference access is available. Call the RTPark at 692-4200 to participate or for more information.
Nominations for Edward Thomas Volunteer of the Year Scholarship Awards Sought Members of the UVI Community are invited to nominate individuals to be considered for the annual Edward Thomas Service Awards which will be presented during UVI’s Afternoon on the Green activity on March 11. Awards are made for the Student Volunteer Year and for the Community Volunteer of the Year. Each award winner receives a scholarship which is funded from the proceeds of the Afternoon on the Green. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, March 2.
The Student Volunteer of the Year Award is intended for a student currently enrolled at UVI who has contributed substantially (a minimum of 50 hours during the past year) to UVI or the local community. The winner receives a UVI scholarship valued at $3,000.
The Community Volunteer of the Year Award is intended to recognize an individual who has contributed substantially (a minimum of 50 hours during the past year) to UVI or the local community. The winner receives a scholarship valued at $1000, which can be used towards tuition at UVI or with UVI’s Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (UVI-CELL) Center.
Nomination forms – with details of eligibility and nomination requirements – are available from these direct links: Student Volunteer of the Year | Community Volunteer of the Year. Forms should be sent or delivered to the UVI Office of Institutional Advancement, No. 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas,V.I. 00802.
VIUCEDD to Offer American Sign Language Class Beginning Feb. 27 The Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VIUCEDD) will offer a ten week class in American Sign Language starting Feb. 27. Classes will be held in St. Thomas on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the University and in St. Croix on Mondays and Thursdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at the VIUCEDD office. The fee is $100. For further information or to register, call 693-1173 on St. Thomas or 692-4267 on St. Croix.
UVI Posts 2012-2013 Scholarship Application Forms; Application Deadline March 1 UVI’s Financial Aid Office has posted scholarship application forms for the 2012-2013 academic year on the Financial Aid section of the UVI web site – www.uvi.edu. The applications are for high school students, and for graduate and undergraduate (including international students). The forms include detailed information on requirements and what types of scholarships are available. The deadline to submit a scholarship application is March 1.
Handy Links: Financial Aid Scholarships Page | High School Scholarship Application Form | Undergraduate/Graduate Application Form (includes international students)
For more information contact the Financial Aid Office at 693-1090 on St. Thomas or 692-4193 on St. Croix.
UVI’s Afternoon on the Green Promises New Surprises for Golden Jubilee The University of the Virgin Islands annual Afternoon on the Green is set for noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, on the St. Thomas campus’ Herman E. Moore Golf Course. The event brings the Virgin Islands community together for a day of food, family and fun. In celebration of UVI’s 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee, Afternoon on the Green will be filled with new and exciting surprises. The entire community is invited to attend Afternoon on the Green.
The Afternoon on the Green Committee also invites individuals and restaurants to be part of this momentous event by contributing cooked dishes or food items. For more information or to find out how to contribute to Afternoon on the Green, call UVI at 693-1040 or send e-mail to lmargol@uvi.edu.
Actors Sought for Upcoming UVI Theatre Production of ‘Kill the Rabbits’ UVI playwright and director David Edgecombe has issued a call for interested persons to audition for two roles as well as positions supporting actors and other personnel in the upcoming world premiere of “Kill the Rabbbits.” The play is Edgecombe’s adaptation from the collection of short stories entitled “How to Escape From a Leper Colony,” by Tiffany Yanique. The short story and the play get the title from the song “Legal” popularized by Nick Friday and The Jam Band. It was at the heart of a 1987 Carnival controversy that local writers and scholars are yet to fully examine. The play features an exploration of how cultural/historic events can lead to the kind of creative expression seen in the short story and play.
Actors are needed for two roles, those of Herman and Herman’s father. Herman is a Caucasian male age 35. The actor must also be able to play Herman at age 20. This is a principal role. Herman’s father is a Caucasian male age 60 to 65. This is a minor role. Actors are not paid. Also needed are carnival troupe dancers and revelers and persons interested in presenting audio-visual presentations. The play is scheduled to open March16, at the renovated UVI Little Theatre, located in the CA Building on the St. Thomas campus.
