June 4, 2004 – The St. Thomas-St. John chapter of the University of the Virgin Islands Alumni Association will honor five individuals on Saturday at its 2nd annual Alumni Award Recognition Breakfast.
The honorees are Maria Ayala, Class of 1976; Gwenavire Hyndman, Class of 1977; Beverly January, Class of 1991; Clarence Nibbs, Class of 1992; and Anecia Sewer, Class of 1994.
Deanna Rogers, chapter president, said community involvement was a prime consideration in selecting this year's outstanding alumni. Other criteria were active involvement in the Alumni Association and record of gift-giving.
Association life members also will be recognized at the breakfast program, which is taking place at L'Escargot Garden Restaurant in Sub Base on St. Thomas, starting at 8:30 a.m.
UVI alumnus Lesmore Howard will be master of ceremonies and alumnus Aben Marrero will provide steelpan music.
Proceeds from the breakfast will go toward the chapter's scholarship fund.
Ayala has taught in the Education Department since 1967 and has been a member of the Ulla Muller faculty for many years. She also has taught in enrichment programs and at Saturday academies. She is active in the Committee to Revive Our Culture, Girl Scouts of America, Christ Church Methodist, Friends of Denmark, Iota Phi Lamba Sorority and the Reading Council and Teachers of English.
Hyndman taught at Guy Benjamin and Julius E. Sprauve Schools on St. John while she was a student herself, enrolled in the Teacher Trainee Program at the then-College of the Virgin Islands She was principal at Guy Benjamin from 1991 until her retirement in 2000. During her career she was involved in summer school, night school and Beacon Schools programs and the Police Auxiliary. She remains active in Bethany Moravian Church on St. John.
January taught home economics at Julius E. Sprauve and Guy Benjamin Schools for more than 20 years, then served as a counselor at both schools and became assistant principal at JESS, where she organized "Culture Day" activities, from which the Sprauve Quadrille Cultural Dancers emerged. She retired following four years as assistant principal at Evelyn B. Marcelli School. She is active in the St. John Oral History Association and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority.
Nibbs is retired from the Water and Power Authority, where he worked while attending UVI. He also served as president of Nibbs Bros. Inc. and has had a long military career. He enlisted in the Army in 1967 then later joined the U.S. Army Reserves, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard and the V.I. Army National Guard, where he served until 1986. He is active in the UVI Alumni Association, AARP and American Legion Post No. 90.
Sewer and her husband, Llewellyn, own Republic Barge Service Inc., which operates the M/V Capt. Vic and M/V Island Vic. She also owns and operates The Research Institute, a business and education consulting firm, where she applies her love of applied statistics. She graduated magna cum laude from UVI and went on to get her master's in public administration from the University of Akron. She is a member of the American Society of Public Administrators, American Statistical Association and Interferry.
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