The University of the Virgin Islands Alumni Association has been nominated for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) National Alumni Association of the Year Award. UVI earned the nomination as a result of a 223 percent increase in its alumni giving rate in 2012 and the national exposure the university received as a result of this accomplishment. UVI President Dr. David Hall documented the achievement in an article titled “Virgin Islands Miracle,” which was featured in the Huffington Post, the HBCU Digest, the Tom Joyner Foundation Web site and HBCU Connect, and was involved in an Academic Impressions case study. The winner will be announced at the Third Annual HBCU Awards on June 28, on the Jackson State University Campus, in Mississippi.
“I am ecstatic that the Center for HBCU Advocacy Inc. nominated UVI’s alumni for this honor,” said Linda Smith, director of Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs. “I was humbled when President Hall approached me with the idea of achieving a 50 percent alumni participation rate. I knew it required great effort. I also knew it was not impossible. The students and alumni, who participated in the campaign, knew it was a passion driven feat.”
Smith led the institutions “50 for 50” fundraising campaign, which aimed to raise the annual giving rate from 13 percent to 50 percent. UVI achieved a 42 percent alumni giving rate.
"It is an honor for the university to be nominated for a national HBCU Award,” said UVI outgoing Alumni Trustee Marthious Clavier. “The 223 percent increase in alumni giving is a testament of the dedication and hard work of the Institutional Advancement Office. It also shows that alumni understand the importance of giving back and that they are committed to doing their part to contribute to the success of the university."
The other HBCU’s nominated for the award are Tuskegee University, Spelman College, Morgan State University and Winston-Salem State University. “To compete alongside other nationally-based institutions is an honor in itself,” said UVI Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dionne Jackson. “UVI is a relatively young university, with very limited resources. To compete against other distinguished institutions for this achievement tells us we are on the right track to building a culture of philanthropy and securing the future of our university.”
"This was a major challenge, and I’m delighted by the outcome,” said Attorney Sam Hall, UVI alumnus and “50 for 50” fundraising campaign chair. “My fellow UVI alumni stepped up in a big way, and I am confident we will all continue giving back to the university."
Smith said that this year UVI’s alumni are not taking a break. “Our alumni have taken up the ‘First to 50’ challenge. We have already hit the halfway mark to our fundraising goals and are four points ahead of where we were last year at this same time.”
The HBCU Awards is held annually to acknowledge and celebrate achievement at historically black colleges and universities throughout the United States in the fields of leadership, arts, athletics, research and community engagement. All of the nominees for Alumni Association of the Year earned media coverage for social, political and financial support for their university or have experienced increased giving, alumni membership or campus support. Winners in each category are selected by a secret ballot of 13 HBCU presidents. The award is presented by the Center for HBCU Advocacy Inc.
