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March 29, 2011vol xvii, number 3 Events Calendar March 29 VIUCEDD Workshop STT March 29 Shadow Our Students STX March 29 Jo Sandra Jones-James Tribute STT March 29 Women’s Leadership Forum STT March 30 Tilapia Production Seminar STX March 31 VIUCEDD Open House STT April 7-8 Aging Research Meeting STT/STX April 8-18 ‘Old Story Time’ Play STT April 9 Miss UVI Competition STX April 22-27 BWC Academic Jams STT/STX St. Croix Campus Named for Esteemed Virgin Islander On March 24, the UVI St. Croix campus was named the Albert A. Sheen Campus of the University of the Virgin Islands in honor of the late attorney, judge, senator and community activist. Members of Sheen’s family, includ- ing his wife J’Ada Finch-Sheen and children Jared and Adrienne, were in attendance. Sheen was lauded for his commitment to justice and the people of the Virgin Is- lands. The honor was posthumously bestowed upon Sheen through a 1996 act of the VI Legislature. Left, UVI President Dr. David Hall and Sheen’s wife J’Ada Finch- Sheen stand at the campus’ entrance. UVI Celebrates 49 Years, Looks Forward to 50th I t was a classic Charter Day Ceremony on March 16, when members of the UVI community came together in celebration of the University’s founding. The ceremony took place on both the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses and was linked via video conference technology, a method that has existed for several years. This year, however, the University showed off its latest capability – the ability to video conference with the newly opened St. John Aca- demic Center. Audiences on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John were able to participate in the ceremony. “I believe that UVI was built for me and I would rath- er be here than anywhere in the world,” said UVI Provost Dr. Karl Wright. “As a person of Caribbean heritage I feel privileged to be working at one of the fi nest institutions in the world,” Dr. Wright said. He noted the impact the University has had on the territory. “We, who have been fortunate to work here, inherited a fi rst-rate institution.” The challenge now, Dr. Wright said, is to “transform a fi rst-rate university into a world-class university. This is our calling. This is our challenge. This is our opportu- nity.” In his remarks UVI President Dr. David Hall re- fl ected on the lives UVI has changed and achievements over the years. He noted UVI’s many accomplishments, including the St. John Academic Center, shared gover- nance, fundraising, an increase in faculty members, the Man Up Conference, the UVI Goes Green Initiative and new buildings expected to begin construction this year. Charter Day, Dr. Hall said, is a time to “refl ect on the past and prepare ourselves for what I think will be a glorious future.” As plans are being made to celebrate the University’s 50th anniversary next year, Dr. Hall said this year’s 49th celebration is just as important. “We have a responsibility to the founders of this University to build on what they started 49 years ago.” In addition to celebrating UVI’s founding, Charter 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. UVI Reaches Out to St. John Day will also recognize Virgin Islanders who have made a positive contribution to the territory. This year’s honoree was Stanley Jacobs, renowned as president and member of the Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights Band on St. Croix. Attending the event on the St. Thomas campus were fi ve members from the then College of the Virgin Islands nursing classes of 1975 and 1976. “I believe our founders would be extremely proud of what we have accomplished,” Dr. Hall said. “Let us not stop here. Let us continue to build on the foundation that they laid.” The program included opening refl ections by Alum- na Loretta Lloyd, a welcome by Albert A. Sheen Cam- pus Student Government Association President Malkia Morton, a poetry reading by Dr. Opal Palmer Adisa and refl ections by Alumni Trustee Marthious Clavier. Continued T he University of the Virgin Islands has expanded its reach on St. John with the opening of the new St. John Academic Center, on the third fl oor of The Market- place shopping center. At the offi cial opening on March 21, UVI offi cials spoke about the impact the center is ex- pected to have on UVI’s St. John students in particular, and the St. John community in general. The center has video conferencing technology, which will allow students to take courses offered on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and study and meet with professors and students on the two campuses. The center also has of- fi ces for the Cooperative Extension Service and the Small Business Development Center. The St. John Academic Center is funded through a US Department of Education Title III grant that is renewable for fi ve years. UVI’s Manager of Learning Resources and Student Technology Ser- vices Rachelle Shells explains the technology at the newly opened St. John Academic Center. Relating Research UVI student Bryan Legare discusses his re- search with Chairman of the UVI Board of Trustees Alexander A. Moorhead at the 2011 Spring Student Re- search Symposium held on March 12, on UVI’s Albert A. Sheen Cam- pus. There were 38 reg- istered participants. A complete list of winners is available on the UVI website www.uvi.edu.