UVI Bucs Notch Fourth Consecutive Paradise Jam Win Downing UMET 62-57 The UVI men’s basketball squad boosted its Paradise Jam win record to 4-0, defeating LAI rival Metropolitan University (UMET) 62-57, on Saturday, Nov. 17, before an enthusiastic home crowd.
In their first Paradise Jam appearance, in 2009, the Buccaneers edged UMET with a last-second shot. The Bucs also won their 2010 matchup against Pontificia Universidad Catholica and last year’s rematch with UMET. The win was also the first for Ryan Skinner, the new men’s basketball coach. Skinner, a UVI graduate in 2009, was a standout for former coach Sean Georges.
Dion Parson and Friends, with UVI Jazz Ensemble, Perform at Havensight Mall Tuesday, Nov. 20 Virgin Islands Jazz fans have an early Thanksgiving musical treat in store when the West Indian Company (WICO) and Dion Parson present a Thanksgiving Musical Celebration at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at the West Indian Dock in Havensight Mall in St. Thomas.
The UVI Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Joe Francis, with UVI Artist in Residence Dion Parson, will open the show. Dion Parson and Friends – Ron Blake on saxophone, Reuben Rogers on bass, Roan Creque on piano and Abu on percussion, with Lorna Freeman providing vocals – take over what should be an outstanding evening of entertainment at 6:30 p.m.
The show – which is free and open to the public – is part of a monthly concert series Parson has been offering with WICO since August. It’s a fun, family event,” Parson said. “They have been very well attended.” The final concert in the series for 2012 is slated for Dec. 11, which is WICO’s 100th anniversary. He also added that plans are in place to continue the series in 2013.
Discovery Channel Documentary on Fortsberg Slated at UVI Prior to Annual Pilgrimage As a preliminary activity to the annual Fortsberg Day commemorative pilgrimage, UVI students, faculty, staff and the Virgin Islands public are invited to view screenings of a Discovery Channel on the pilgrimage, scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The documentary will be available in the Cooperative Extension Service office and in the Humanities Building on the St. Thomas campus, and at the St. John Academic Center in Cruz Bay. The documentary focuses of former UVI professors Dr. Gilbert Sprauve and the late Gene Emanuel while touring on St. John in commemoration of the 1733 revolution of enslaved Africans that is commemorated on Fortsberg Day. The screenings are sponsored by the UVI Student Government Association’s Black Heritage Committee.
Everyone is also invited to participate in the annual Fortsberg Day tour on Friday, Nov. 23, which will be led by Dr. Sprauve. The tour starts at 9 a.m., from the beach immediately adjacent to the Cruz Bay ferry dock on St. John. UVI students who attend one of Wednesday’s screenings may take the tour on Friday for free. Regular tour rates are $27 for persons 12 and older and $17 for persons 11 and under. More information will be available at the documentary screenings and from Black Heritage Committee advisor Dara Cooper at dcooper@uvi.edu.
UVI to be Featured on ‘Face to Face’ on Wednesday, Nov. 21 As the University of the Virgin Islands nears the end of an extremely busy Golden Jubilee Year, President David Hall and others will appear on Addie Ottley’s “Face to Face” program on Channel 12 Public TV at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The University will have the program’s entire hour to review topics such as the new Strategic Plan 2017 – Pathways to Greatness (including a public airing of the Strategic Plan video), the 50 for 50 challenge’s increase in alumni giving, the Sisters With Purpose student organization and more.
UVI to Close for Thanksgiving and Discovery Day Holidays The University of the Virgin Islands will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23, in observance of the Thanksgiving and Fortsberg/Discovery Day holidays. Classes and University offices will resume normal operating hours on Monday, Nov. 26. While UVI’s libraries will be closed on Thursday and Friday, they will be open on Saturday, Nov. 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 25, from 1 to 8 p.m.
VI SBDC Announces Thanksgiving Week Schedule The Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center’s (VI SBDC) St. Croix Service Center will be closed on Monday, Nov. 19, and Tuesday, Nov. 20, to allow the staff to participate in professional development training.
The VI SBDC Lead Center on St. Thomas and Service Center on St. Croix, along with the administrative offices of the University of the Virgin Islands, will be closed for the Thanksgiving and Fortsberg/ Discovery Holidays on Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23. The offices will reopen for business on Monday, Nov. 26, at 8:30 a.m. Information about VI SBDC services and upcoming educational programs is available online at www.sbdcvi.org.
Student Nurses Association Organizes Holiday Gift Collection Effort on St. Thomas Campus The Student Nurses Association on the St. Thomas campus is inviting members of the UVI community to share in this season of giving to those less fortunate. The group has organized collection sites at the Nursing Building, the Library, the Student Activities Center, the Humanities Building, the Classroom and Administration Building and the Administration and Conference Center.
Suggested items for donation include: personal hygiene products, baby care items, sanitary products, gently used and new clothing for all ages and toys for all ages. The collection effort started on Friday, Nov. 16, and continues through Friday, Nov. 30.
UVI Invites Alumni, Friends, Supporters and General Public to Golden Gala Celebrations UVI invites its alumni, friends, supporters and members of the general public to celebrate the conclusion of UVI’s 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee year at Golden Galas in December. These formal events will also serve as fundraisers to establish a Golden Jubilee Scholarship. The theme for the events is “A Grand Affair to End the Year.”
“We are truly excited to host these high-end events where members of the community can celebrate with the UVI family,” said St. Thomas Golden Gala Committee Volunteer Co-Chairperson Jacqueline Sprauve. “We have had a fabulous year celebrating the milestone that is UVI’s 50th Anniversary. We wanted to end the year in a grand fashion where everyone can dress in their finest, have a good time and welcome the holiday season,” Sprauve continued. “Galas on St. Thomas and St. Croix mean that everyone can come celebrate with us.”
The Galas are set for Dec. 1, on St. Thomas, and Dec. 8, on St. Croix. Ticket information and more is available from a news release, with photos, on the UVI homepage – http://www.uvi.edu
Online Registration for Continuing UVI Students Underway Continuing UVI students can now register online, via Banweb, for spring and summer 2013 courses. Spring registration continues through Friday, Jan. 18, 2013. Summer registration continues up to the start of those sessions.
Students are reminded that they must first meet with their academic advisors to prepare individual schedules, and obtain an alternate PIN, which they will need to access Banweb. To obtain the name of their advisor, students should contact the office of the dean of their school or college, or the Office of the Registrar, or the Associate Registrar (registrar@uvi.edu). Further details are available from the Registrar’s section of the UVI Web site – http://www.uvi.edu
UVI Dedicates ‘Neil Weiss Education and Seminar Suite’ in West Hall on St. Thomas The University of the Virgin Islands formally dedicated the “Neil Weiss Education and Seminar Suite” named in honor of Neil Weiss, who donated $250,000 toward the construction of the institution’s newest student resident facility – West Hall. Weiss, a career entrepreneur and business man, owned and operated several successful businesses in the territory. The “Neil Weiss Education and Seminar Suite” is a state-of-the-art learning suite located directly in a residence hall – a first-time manifestation at UVI. The suite is equipped with seating for 40, video conference technology connecting to St. Croix and St. John, high definition projectors, microphones and speakers.
At a ceremony held in West Hall on Nov. 13, UVI President Dr. David Hall thanked Weiss for his donation, and said that the seminar suite will serve as a model at UVI. A news release, with photos, is available from the UVI homepage – http://www.uvi.edu
UVI Marks Expanded Our Town Frederiksted Center on St. Croix The University of the Virgin Islands marked the completion and rededication of the newly expanded Frederiksted Resource Center on Thursday, Nov. 15. Originally constructed in 2007 as a result of the combined efforts of the University of the Virgin Islands Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (UVICELL) Center, Our Town Frederiksted and a number of strategic community partners, the project is designed to assist in the revitalization of the historic town and expand the role of the university in the community.
A news release, with photos, is available from the UVI homepage –http://www.uvi.edu
2013 Agriculture & Food Fair Accepting Exhibitor Space Requests; Deadline Nov. 30 The 2013 Agriculture and Food Fair of the USVI will take place on St. Croix from Feb. 16 to 18. The fair committee is now accepting requests for exhibit space. Organizers are seeking a short description of planned exhibits. They strongly encourage prospective exhibitors to explore how they and the committee can work together to make displays more seamless and more hands on. A Space Request Form is available from this direct link. Please complete and email this form to Clarice Clarke at cclarke@uvi.edu on or before Friday, Nov. 30.
UVI 50th Anniversary Christmas Concert Set for Dec. 8, at the Reichhold Center The UVI Music Department and the Reichhold Center for the Arts will present the Golden 50th Anniversary Christmas Concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8. The show will include the UVI Concert Band and Concert Choir, the UVI Jazz Ensemble and the Steel Pan Ensemble. Ticket – $20 for adults, $15 for students, and $10 for seniors – are available at the Reichhold Center Box Office, the UVI Bookstore, VI Bridal and Tuxedo, Nora’s Beauty Palace and the Dockside Bookstore. This will be UVI Prof. Austin A. Venzen’s farewell concert.
The Caribbean Writer Issues Call for Submissions for Volume 27 The Caribbean Writer, the University of the Virgin Islands’ international, refereed, literary journal with a Caribbean focus, has announced a submission call for its 27th edition. Issues unique to the Caribbean should be central to the work, or the work should reflect a Caribbean heritage, experience or perspective. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 30.
Besides the usual poetry, short fiction and essays, Volume 27 will pay special tribute to Caribbean musicians and visual artists. Interviews with and personal narratives on the Caribbean’s leading musicians and visual artists, at home as well as in the diaspora, are welcomed.
For more information, visit The Caribbean Writer Web site at www.TheCaribbeanWriter.org or send e-mail info@thecaribbeanwriter.org. A news release is also available from the UVI homepage – http://www.uvi.edu.
Submissions, Letters Sought for UVI’s 50th Anniversary Time Capsules; Deadline Nov. 30 Since announcing plans for UVI 50th Anniversary Time Capsules on both campuses, many suggestions and some forwarded items have been received. The Time Capsule Subcommittee of the Golden Jubilee Committee is again asking members of the University community to submit items for inclusion in each time capsule. "The sky is the limit on what can be placed in the time capsule," said Subcommittee Chair Raquel Silver. "Be imaginative." The time capsules will be capped in January, 2013, not to be opened for 50 years – in 2062.
The committee is also seeking letters from students, staff, faculty and alumni describing what UVI will be like in 50 years. Please submit items and/or letters for inclusion in the time capsules by Nov. 30 to the following individuals:
• Albert A. Sheen Campus: Raquel Silver / rsantia@live.uvi.edu / ext 4061
• St. Thomas Campus: Dr. Angela Dikou / adikou@live.uvi.edu / ext 1284
