March 18, 2009 — It was like a huge open house Wednesday on the St. Croix Campus of the University of the Virgin Islands as more than 200 juniors and seniors from public and private schools took part in the third annual "Shadow Our Students" (SOS) program.
"We invite high school students to see what campus life is like," said Hedda Finch-Simpson, administrative assistant for student affairs. "They have the chance to register and attend two classes of their choice, tour the campus and even check out the cafeteria and get lunch."
The goal of the SOS program is to create mentoring relationships between students at UVI and students in the local schools. Coordinators aim to highlight the benefits of a college education.
"This was a really cool experience getting the chance to look at college life," said Kurrisa Vialet, senior at Educational Complex. Vialet said UVI is an option in her higher education plans.
Sandra M. Pierre Louis, vice president of Student Government Association (SGA), said SGA is convinced that if high school students are given the chance to gain experience through mentoring programs "you broaden their horizons and help them become what they are capable of being."
Jessica Taylor, SGA president, said she took part in the program two years ago and it inspired her to attend UVI and join student government.
Denise Lake, education outreach coordinator for College Access Challenge Grant, spoke to the high school students about financial aid. Charmaine Smith, from the access and enrollment department, told the students about the application and registration process. The students registered and then attended classes in social science, introduction to accounting, college algebra, introduction to education and freshman development.
Adonna Ford, SGA parliamentarian, said the students also got a chance to get dialogues going with the professors.
"I really enjoyed the social science class," said Tahyna Jules, senior at Educational Complex.
Ricardo Caldwell, professor of finance at the St. Thomas campus of UVI, gave the students a motivational talk on purpose, planning and achieving their potential as college students.
"College is a vehicle to find your purpose, and you have to have a plan to chart your course to achieve all of your potential," said Caldwell. He had the students stand and join uplifted hands saying, "We are a people of purpose."
Searl Gordon, guidance counselor at St. Croix Seventh Day Adventist School, said he thinks the program is a good recruiting tool for UVI.
"It was well structured and chaperoned," said Gordon. "Over all I was very impressed and it gets better every year."
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