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September 29, 2010 vol xvi, number 9 Events Calendar Sept. 30 ‘The Caribbean Writer’ Launch STX Oct. 4-5 Voices that Count Forum STX Oct. 7-8 Voices that Count Forum STT Oct. 21-22 Health Disparities Institute STT UVI Wellness Center Opens on St. Thomas Campus U VI students, employees and alumni on the St. Thom- as campus now have a place to develop their physical wellness with the opening of the new Wellness Center. The 6,250 square-foot building, located southwest of the Sports and Fitness Center, boasts a mirrored aero- bics and dance studio with a sprung wood fl oor, a fi tness equipment room with weight training and cardiovascular equipment, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. The grand opening for the new building was held on Sept. 24. UVI administrators, board members, staff and students, along with dignitaries and the general public, gathered under a large white tent in the center’s parking lot and praised the center’s potential to improve lives. Calling it a “wonderful and joyous day in the life of this University,” UVI President Dr. David Hall thanked those who lead the University before him for their vision, fundraising efforts and leadership, which made the center a reality. “This facility is part of a long line of construction that has occurred on this campus as a way of sending the message that we are committed to providing our students, staff and faculty with the best facilities possible,” Dr. Hall said. He told the audience to “never lose sight of the con- cept of wellness.” “Wholeness, healing, taking care of the whole per- son is a fundamental part of the vision of UVI. We want that for our employees, we want that for our students,” he said. Student athlete Alvaro de Lugo III expressed grati- tude, on behalf of students, for the facility. “We will be able to maximize our full athletic potential and to perform at a higher level,” he said. “It gives us the competitive edge that we need to accomplish our goals, and to become suc- cessful in our leagues and in our athletic careers.” The Wellness Center cost $2.62 million and was built Mervin Ford, second from left, leads an aerobics class in the aerobics and dance studio of UVI’s St. Thomas campus Wellness Center during the center’s grand opening on Sept. 24. Right, exercise bikes are positioned near large windows in the center’s fi tness equipment room. See Wellness Center on Next Page Miss UVI Jonesia Smith pre- pares for the “Queen’s Tea” segment of the Competition of Black College Queens, held annually by the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. It fea- tures queens from Historically Black Colleges and Universi- ties from across the nation. The competition, held on Sept. 25, in Atlanta, was one of the events held during the An- nual Hall of Fame Weekend. Miss Howard University won the pageant for the second con- secutive year. Miss UVI Vies in National Pageant GET CONNECTED TO UVI news, activities and accomplishments at . . . www.uvi.edu dateline: UVI 2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, VI 00802 dateline: UVI is a production of the UVI Public Rela- tions Offi ce. Contact us by telephone at 340-693-1056 or by fax at 340-693-1055. with funds from a variety of sources. The Department of the Interior provided $1,047,000 for the project. The Foundation for the University of the Virgin Islands pro- vided $400,000 and UVI provided $815,000. Anthony Babauta, the US Department of the Interior assistant secretary for Insular Affairs, said that UVI has “exceeded expectations” each time it has received Depart- ment of Interior funding for special projects. He said the Wellness Center closes the gap between the University and the community. Gov. John P. deJongh Jr. said the Wellness center rep- resents “vision, partnership and leadership” and the “im- portance of this University in the community.” UVI’s athletic teams, dance team, and specifi c physi- cal education and health courses will utilize the Wellness Center. Beginning on Oct. 4, the center will be open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. An array of fi tness classes will sub- sequently be offered. The center’s ground breaking ceremony was held on Jan. 30, 2009. For more information call UVI Wellness Center Co- ordinator Amy Gurlea at 340-690-0064. Wellness Center Continued Left: Student Goverment Association members on the St. Croix campus were installed in a ceremony on Sept. 29. At- tending were, left to right, sophomore Senator Richard Motta, Senior Senator Sana Hamed, Junior Senator Shamoi Garcia, Treasurer Necola Charles, Atty. Genevieve Whitaker keynote speaker, Secretary Donna Archer, Freshman Senator Lawrence Bethel, President Malkia Morton, Freshman Senator Gabriel Lawrence and Vice President Sieja Mike. Ready to Lead: UVI Student Government Installed Right: Student Goverment Association members on the St. Thomas campus were installed in a ceremony on Sept. 28. At- tending were, left to right, top row, Junior Senators Michael Celestine and Dimitri Maduro, Vice President Merl Eustache, Freshman Senator Raydiance Granger, Treasurer Davin Francis and President Charlesworth McCarthy, bottom row, Sophomore Senators Chenelle Kuntz and Zuri Baker. Not pictured are Senior Senators Randel Thompson and Ismael Rosado, Jr., and Freshman Senators Britanny Robinson and Raynard Malone.