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Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeCommunitySchoolsSign Unveiling Commemorates Renaming of UVI STT to Orville E. Kean Campus

Sign Unveiling Commemorates Renaming of UVI STT to Orville E. Kean Campus

UVI Board Chair Henry Smock, from left, UVI President David Hall, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., UVI President Emeritus Orville Kean, Julie Kean, Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach and Miss UVI Jackeima Flemming pose for a photo in front of the new UVI sign. (Submitted photo)

University officials, government leaders and members of the Kean family assembled at the entrance to the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus on Thursday afternoon to witness the unveiling of the newly installed sign marking the renaming of the campus to the Orville E. Kean Campus of the University of the Virgin Islands.

The event, honoring UVI President Emeritus Orville E. Kean, who dedicated more than three decades of service to the university, included remarks from him; Catherine Kean, who is his daughter and a UVI alumna; Gov. Albert Bryan Jr; and UVI President David Hall.

“President Kean’s leadership and commitment to the university and the territory is worthy of recognition that will allow his name and contributions to be reflected upon by students, faculty, staff and this community for years to come,” Hall said.

“As president of the university, I am very grateful for the contributions of Dr. Kean and the other presidents that preceded me for creating a strong and vibrant foundation upon which we could continue to build this university into a great university,” Hall said.

UVI President Emeritus Orville Kean gives remarks at the unveiling of the new campus sign. (Submitted photo)

“It is a great honor that no one in my family expected,” Orville Kean said. “I believe the University of the Virgin Islands has surpassed the expectation of the people who created it. It has created more knowledge and more skills than they anticipated.” Apart from his family, Orville Kean said, “working at the University of the Virgin Islands and helping to create this difference has been the best thing of my life.”

Orville Kean began his career at the then College of the Virgin Islands as a professor of mathematics in 1966. He advanced to vice-chair of the science and mathematics division, to dean of instruction, then acting director of the Caribbean Research Institute, executive vice president and director of the Eastern Caribbean Center and acting vice president for academic affairs. In 1990, the UVI Board of Trustees appointed him to serve as president of UVI. He held the position for 12 years until his retirement in 2002.

Legislation to rename the campus was sponsored by Sen. Myron Jackson and adopted by the 33rd  Legislature in December 2019. On Jan. 5, 2021, Bryan signed into law Act 8404, which is legislation that honors and commends Orville Kean for his contributions to the university.

For more information, visit  www.uvi.edu.

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