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Forty-Second Annual Commencement Tuesday, the Sixteenth of May Two Thousand and Six Six O’Clock in the Evening Campus Grounds St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands James Carmichael Renick, Ph.D. Chancellor North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University James C. Renick is the ninth Chancellor and Professor of Political Science at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, appointed July 15, 1999. Prior to his current position, he was Chancellor and Professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for six and one half years. Dr. Renick is a recognized leader in the area of university/business/industry relations. Dr. Renick received his B.A. from Central State University (Ohio) in 1970, where he was inducted into the Donald K. Anthony Achievement Hall of Fame. He received his M.S.W. from Kansas University in 1972 and a Ph.D. degree in Government/ Public Administration from Florida State University in 1980. Dr. Renick has engaged the campus in a unique strategic visioning process setting a course for the university that builds on its comparative advantages as the number one producer of black engineers and technologists in the world, a first-rate business school, and a rich civil rights legacy. Recently the university announced a $100 million capital campaign that has raised $77 million to date. The university has currently embarked on several major capital projects, funded from $161 million in bonds approved by the voters of North Carolina. These projects, and the $60 million capital expansion funded by the A&T Foundation, are changing the face of the campus. Dr. Renick is a collector and strong advocate of the arts. He has initiated several signifi- cant campus art projects. He serves on numerous national boards and foundations including the Presidential Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the North Carolina Board of Science and Technology, the National Council for Science and the Environment, the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. Locally, he is on the board of the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina, the Greensboro Merchants Association, and he is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Renick’s achievements have brought him numerous awards including the American Association for Higher Education Black Caucus’ Exemplary Award for Public Service, the University of Michigan President’s Medallion, Who’s Who in Black America, Faculty of the Year, and the Greater Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Medal. Dr. Renick and his wife Peggy have one child, Karinda, a graduate of her father’s alma mater. PROGRAM Lydia H. Pickering, Associate Professor of Office Systems COMMENCEMENT MARSHAL Robin Sterns, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English COMMENCEMENT CO-MARSHAL *PROCESSIONAL .....................................................................................“Pomp and Circumstance” (Elgar) Central High School Band *INVOCATION ............................................................................................................. Deacon Denis Griffith St. Ann’s Catholic Church *NATIONAL ANTHEM ..................................................................................... “Star Spangled Banner” (Key) Central High School Band *VIRGIN ISLANDS MARCH ......................................................................... “Virgin Islands March” (Adams) Central High School Band WELCOME ............................................................................................LaVerne E. Ragster, Ph.D., President KEYNOTE ADDRESS ................................................................................................ James C. Renick, Ph.D. Chancellor, North Carolina A&T State University ADDRESS ..................................................................................................... Rhalina LaPlace, Class of 2006 REMARKS ....................................................................................................... Auguste E. Rimpel, Jr., Ph.D. Chairman, UVI Board of Trustees ................................................................................................................... The Honorable Lorraine L. Berry President of the 26th Legislature of the Virgin Islands ........................................................................................................... The Honorable Donna M. Christensen Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress ............................................................................................................... The Honorable Charles W. Turnbull Governor, United States Virgin Islands MUSICAL SELECTION ..................................................................... “ILRe Pasture Overture” (W. A. Mozart) Arranged by Albert Oliver Davis PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES ......................................................... Al Hassan I. Musah, Ph.D., Provost CONFERRING OF DEGREES Education Specialist Degree • Master of Arts in Education • Master of Business Administration Master of Public Administration • Bachelor of Science • Bachelor of Arts • Associate in Applied Science Associate in Science • Associate in Arts INDUCTION INTO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION .................................................................... Joseph B. Boschulte Vice President for Institutional Advancement *ALMA MATER “Alma Mater by the Sea” (LaMotta) Central High School Band *BENEDICTION ..................................................................................................... The Rev. Conrad Spencer Faith Moravian Church *RECESSIONAL.......................................................................................... “Ceremonial Procession” (Elgar) Central High School Band *Audience is requested to stand. Every effort is made to ensure that this program is accurate; circumstances beyond our control may have resulted in errors. Alma Mater By the Sea Words and Music by Wilbur “Bill” LaMotta Hail to thee, dear Alma Mater Beside the blue Caribbean calm Hail to thee, dear Alma Mater ‘neath sunny skies and whisp’ring palm Proud we are to tread thy ways Loud and true we voice our praise Open door thy every portal ‘mid sand and sea and golden days Long the ties that will endure Strong in heart and memory Faithfully we’ll always honor Our Alma Mater by the sea Hail to thee, dear Alma Mater For guiding stars so brightly shown Hail to thee, dear Alma Mater How wide the bound’ries we have flown Sing we now of bright tomorrows Yesterday we never knew Walking down thy halls of wisdom The towerin’ heights are all in view Here to us on islands famed Dear to us thy name will be University of the Virgin Islands Our Alma Mater by the sea. Academic Regalia The wearing of caps, gowns and hoods at graduation exercises is one of the oldest and most democratic of collegiate customs. It originated in the Middle Ages when the first universities were founded as clerical institu- tions. Besides distinguishing the wearers from laymen, the costume served a very practical purpose in the unheated churches and cloisters of the time. It often added grace to the individuals and impressiveness to the ceremonies in which they took part. Its chief virtue, however, was that it eliminated undemocratic differences in dress which might otherwise have marred an essentially democratic occasion. Under the intercollegiate system adopted in 1893, the Oxford cap or “mortarboard” is worn for all degrees, but the doctor is entitled to a gold tassel and optional velvet cap. The sleeve of the master’s gown is distinguished from the bachelor’s by a half-moon cut at the end. The doctor’s gown has faced-down fronts, and round bell sleeves with bars of velvet. The master’s degree hood is longer than the bachelor’s and the doctor’s is longer than the master’s. All hoods are lined with silk showing the official colors of the institution that conferred the degree. The bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates at the University of the Virgin Islands wear hoods lined with Caribbean blue and white, the school colors. The bachelor’s degree hoods are trimmed with white velvet to signify liberal arts, and with golden yellow velvet to signify science. UVI master’s candidate hoods are also trimmed with velvet — light blue for education, drab to represent business, and peacock blue to indicate public administration. According to the Academic Costume Code, at most U.S. institutions the color of velvet trim indicates the following academic disciplines: agriculture/maize; economics/copper; engineer- ing/orange; fine arts/brown; home economics/ maroon; law/purple; library science/lemon; music/pink; nursing/apricot; philosophy/dark blue; physical education/sage green; public health/salmon pink; science/golden yellow; social science/cream; social work/citron; speech/silver gray.