Current Events

Current Events
2001 - 2002

Welcome to the University of the Virgin Islands Current Events page. This is a brief photo gallery of visitors and events held on our two beautiful campuses - St. Thomas and St. Croix.

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Live from UVI's St. Croix Campus

Views from the St. Croix Campus Student Activity Center

Knight Quality Stations of St. Thomas spent the week of February 10, 2002, on St. Croix broadcasting from a variety of locations. It was UVI's time to shine on Wednesday, Feb. 13, when St. Croix campus students, as well as alumni, faculty and staff joined in the live broadcasts. Two Radio One (AM 1000) caller-participation programs - "Topp Talk" and "Leona" - and the hour-long calypso show "KV's Kitchen," on FM105 JAMZ, featured UVI.

Dr. William DeLone and Malcolm Kirwan were among the guests of host Sam Topp. The program highlighted UVI plans to establish a Research and Technology Park on St. Croix.

The popular "KV's Kitchen" featured interviews and talk with several students and staff members from St. Croix.

And finally, Host Leona Bryant spoke with St. Croix Chancellor Jennifer Jackson, University Relations Coordinator Stella Saunders and Dr. Velma Tyson, chair of the Division of Science and Math in St. Croix, as well a number of St. Croix campus students and faculty. The show was broadcast from 2 to 4 p.m.

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Tom Joyner Foundation
Scholarship Campaign

Tom Joyner and Dr. Gwen-Marie Moolenaar, UVI's Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Tom Joyner and Tom Joyner Morning Show on-air personality Sybil Wilkes

The Tom Joyner Foundation has selected UVI as one of its 2002 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to receive scholarship support during the month of May 2002. UVI will be the featured HBCU on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, which is broadcast to 102 radio stations nationwide, including WWKS-FM 101.3 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. UVI also will be listed on the Tom Joyner Foundation website at www.tomjoyner.com, with a link to UVI's website at www.uvi.edu

At a press event held at the West Indian Company Dock on St. Thomas, Dr. Gwen-Marie Moolenar, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and other members of the UVI staff, extended a warm welcome to Tom Joyner, Tom Joyner Morning Show on-air personality Sybil Wilkes and Tom Joyner Foundation staff to the island of St. Thomas.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for UVI," Dr. Moolenaar said. "In addition to assisting our ongoing scholarship efforts, a presence on the Tom Joyner Morning Show will provide UVI with tremendous national visibility, which has the potential to increase our recruitment and retention efforts."

All contributions made on behalf of UVI will be matched by corporate sponsors of the Foundation. In addition, during the month of May, the Foundation will also automatically award three weekly UVI scholarships of at least $1,500 each.

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"Peace on Earth"
annual Christmas Concert

Children's Choir
This year's Christmas Concert was spectactular. The Music Department's annual Christmas concert was held at the Reichhold Center for the Arts on Saturday, December 1, 2001. This Year's production was entitled "Peace on Earth" and showcased the concert band directed by Austin Venzen, the Concert Choir, directed by Elvira Green, the Jazz Ensemble directed by Martin Lamkin, and the Steel Pan Ensemble directed by Aben Marrero and a special appearance by the Methodist Church Golden Gems. Cecilia Dennery demonstrated sign language for the hearing impaired and there was a special appearance from Santa Claus.

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The NCAA Paradise Jam

Spectators were thrilled and players were pumped at the Paradise Jam NCAA Basketball Tournament in the UVI Sports and Fitness Center. The St. Thomas campus arena hosted 17 Division I women's and men's teams, which competed in 22 high-energy games. Everyone is looking forward to next year's Paradise Jam.

Kansas State and Western Michigan (top) and Kansas State and University of Richmond

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Festive Agriculture and Food Fair
is a community event

The 20th Annual St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair was held on the grounds of the Reichhold Center for the Arts on Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18. A petting zoo, animal exhibit, horse and pony rides, free workshops and health screenings by the V.I. Department of Health, a variety of foods, door prizes and entertainment ensured that it was a weekend of fun for the whole family. Musical performers included the popular "P'Your Passion" band and the gospel group "Friends," the St. Andrew's Church Wind Ensemble and the Rising Stars.

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Cuban Scholar visits UVI
via San Juan

Dr. Rafael Hernandez Rodriguez, associated with the Center for American Studies in Havana, Cuba, and currently a visiting professor at the University of Puerto Rico, sketched the history of U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba from the Spanish era to the present at special guest lectures on the UVI St Croix and St. Thomas campuses. The lectures provided the context for lively discussions of policy issues surrounding current relations between the two countries.
Dr. Rodriguez stressed the continuities in relations between the United States and Cuba and their influence over U.S. policy toward Cuba. He responded energetically to questions and comments from the audience. Dr. Rodriguez pointed out that “What will happen in Cuba after Fidel?” is the most common question asked by Americans. In contrast, the speaker suggested the typical question asked by Cubans is: “What will happen when the United States’ economic embargo of Cuba ends?” This contrast underscores the very different premises and understandings of the Cuban revolution and contemporary Cuban politics and society, Dr. Rodriguez said.

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VIERS celebrates 35 years

      More than 20 people gathered in the shade of lush ficus, palm and tamarind trees on Thursday, November 1, 2001 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) during a luncheon at its Lameshur Bay, St. John campsite.
      The luncheon featured historical reflections by Dr. Jack Damman, founding director of VIERS, and brief remarks by National Park Superintendent John King, Joe Kessler, president of Friends of the V.I. National Park, and Randy Brown, executive director of Clean Islands International.
      Damman said he first collaborated with the National Park Service on St. John by mapping vegetation for the then College of the Virgin Islands’ (CVI) Caribbean Research Institute in 1965. Plans for an environmental resource station for the college evolved at that time, followed closely by the arrival of the groundbreaking Tektite I underwater habitat project, which was housed in the waters of Lameshur Bay. Damman, 81, shared his vivid memories of the conflicts between researchers when, in 1973, the Tektite II project was instituted in Lameshur Bay in the midst of what had become the VIERS camp.

UVI Vice Provost Dr. Henry Smith (left),
Randy Brown, executive director of Clean Islands International

“They moved in and took over,” Damman said, not mincing words. “I’m glad to see it’s still here.”
VIERS has operated as a UVI facility since 1970. Volunteers and environmental educators conduct eco-camps at the VIERS campsite for school and community groups and work cooperatively with marine biology and/or ecology programs. VIERS is operated by Clean Islands International, a nonprofit organization designed to provide educational and technical assistance to island communities.

Dr. Jack Damman
Founding director of VIERS
(Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station)

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Miss UVI Queen and Ambassadorial Pageant 2001

Congratulations to junior psychology major Nyasha Mutunhu, who was crowned Miss UVI 2001 - 2002 on Saturday, October 27. Ms. Mutunhu, first runner-up Anika Nicholas and contestants Shanee King and Owanna Lans all represented the University well during the entertaining and thought provoking three hour-long pageant.

Anika Nicholas, a sophomore biology major, was selected as first runner-up and also won "Best Ambassadorial Presentation" and "Best Evening Wear." Elementary education major Shanee King, was named "Miss Popularity" and Owanna Lans, a junior political science major, was awarded the "Miss Congeniality" title.

Click here for the news release.

Nyasha Mutunhu
Miss UVI 2001 - 2002

Anika Nicholas
First Runner Up

Owanna Lans

Shanee King

Back to school picnic

Congratulations to the Faculty and Staff softball team who won the softball challenge at the back to school picnic with a score of 14 to 3. Congratulations also to the Predators dorm block for leading the pack in the "Round-de-Campus" relay. Student Activities hosted the relay, softball game and B-B-Q picnic for new and returning faculty, staff and students.

Photos courtesy of UVI public relations office.
Michael Vanterpool, UVI Senior (top), Coach Elridge Blake (middle), student spectators (bottom)

Student Activities
Fair Fall Semester 2001

Nurse Diane Ruan-Bonelli,
Health Services Supervisor (top)
Student Activities Fair Fall Semester 2001

Jacques Haray (left) and Alba Harrigan (right) register students to vote for the new student representatives at the Student Activities Fair

The Activities Fair urged students to get involved with student organizations. The fair offered an opportunity for students to meet represenatives from student groups, sign up for clubs and organizations, get a free health screening by Health Services, receive a bookstore gift pack and register with the V.I. Board of Elections Voter's Registration representative. For more information on Student Activities call the Student Activities Office at (340) 693-1111.

Youth Moviemaking Workshop

Youth Moviemaking Workshop participants (left to right) Richard Sturdivant, Rachel Navarro, Richard Simmonds, Favinn Maynard and Syieda Potter.

David Edgecombe, director of the Reichhold Center for the Arts (right) presents Richard Simmonds with a certificate of completion.

The Reichhold Center for the Arts held the premiere of its Youth Moviemaking Workshop on the evening of August 14. The workshop gave five teenage participants the opportunity to work in front of and behind the camera – allowing them to experience firsthand what it takes to create a film.

At the premiere, the audience was treated to a series of video projects that were written, videotaped and edited entirely by the workshop’s participants – Rachel Navarro of Wesleyan Academy, Richard Simmonds of Charlotte Amalie High School, Favinn Maynard of Antilles School, Richard Sturdivant of the University of Tampa and Syieda Potter of Charlotte Amalie High School.

"Faith," a 10-minute dramatic film produced by The Reichhold Center for the Arts Youth Moviemaking Workshop, was shown on "Face to Face With Addie Ottley"on WTJX-TV, Channel 12 the following evening.

The Reichhold Center for the Arts Youth Moviemaking Workshop acknowledges with deep appreciation donations from the Jean T. Robertson Fund of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, Rotary Club II of St. Thomas and Globalvest Management Company.

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