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April 27, vol xv, number 4 Events Calendar April 28 UVI Staff Council Meeting STT/STX April 30 UVI Senate Meeting STT/STX May 1 Children’s Parade STT May 2 Adults’ Parade STT May 7 Assistive Technology Open House STX May 9 Ragster Scholarship Fund Dinner STT May 9 SBDC Business Expo STT May 9 Assistive Technology Open House STT May 16 Billy Ocean at Reichhold Center STT May 17 Ragster Scholarship Fund Lunch STX May 18 Commencement STT May 19 Commencement STX D ozens of UVI employees and retirees were honored in April in what is being called the best UVI Service Awards Ceremonies ever. An- nual UVI Service Awards Ceremo- nies on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses honor UVI employees who have served fi ve or more years in in- crements of fi ve years, recent retirees, and employees with perfect atten- dance. The ceremonies are usually followed with refreshments. This year’s ceremonies had an ex- tra fl air that honorees said truly made them feel appreciated. Tablecloth draped tables topped with center- pieces, token ceramic tea cups, bal- loons and other decorations greeted the honorees, their guests and UVI employees when they entered the Ad- ministration and Conference Center conference room on St. Thomas and the Great Hall North West Wing on St. Croix. Music set the perfect mood and lunch was served on china. “This is an amazing turnout,” UVI President Dr. LaVerne Ragster said at the St. Thomas campus event. Dr. Ragster said it was important that she recognized the services of those who serve UVI. She noted that UVI employees have varying personalities, roles and uniqueness in the way they go above and be- yond in providing service. The theme of this year’s 35th Annual Service Awards Ceremonies was “UVI Poised for Change.” The awards were for the period from April 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009. Each year UVI employees nominate colleagues who they feel provide exceptional service for the “Employee of the Year” honor. The selected person is revealed near the end of each ceremony. This year’s Employee of the Year on the St. Thomas campus is Information Technology Specialist Dawn Matthew. The St. Croix campus Em- ployee of the Year is Christine Henry, an administrative assistant in the Cooperative Exten- sion Service. Matthew and Henry will again be recognized at the Annual Employee Recognition Awards administered by the Virgin Islands Division of Personnel on May 21 and 22, at the Reichhold Center on St. Thomas and UVI’s Great Hall on St. Croix, respectively. For the second year, Dr. Rag- ster presented Presidential Awards, which are given to employees she selects for their exemplary service. “I fi nd their work, attitudes and pas- sion, as well as the dedication they show, exemplary and special,” she said of the recipients. On the St. Thomas campus Presi- dential Awardees were Dayle Barry, Violetta Donovan, Lily Mae Du- rante, Charles Martin, Erik Patti- son, Peter Sauer, Dr. Henry Smith and Roy Watlington. Presidential Awardees on the St. Croix campus were Marthious Clavier and Nere- ida Washington. UVI Employees Honored at Service Awards Top: Dawn Matthew, center, was named UVI St. Thomas campus 2009 Employee of the Year. She is shown with UVI President Dr. LaVerne E. Ragster, and 2008 Employee of the Year Gary Metz. Bottom: St. Croix campus 2009 Employee of the Year Christine Henry, right, is presented with fl owers by her supervisor Kofi Boateng, who was also honored for his 25 years of service to UVI. 2008 Employee of the Year Francisca Barry presented Henry with the award. 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. F rancielli Baker won the title of Miss CYFAR in the fi rst- ever pageant held on April 4. CYFAR is the Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR) program, a federally funded after-school program adminis- tered by UVI’s Cooperative Ex- tension Service. Baker and four other contestants competed in introduction, speech, dance, question-and-answer, sports- Nine-Year-Old is Miss CYFAR wear, professional wear and evening wear segments. The other contestants were fi rst runner up Francier Baker, who also won best evening wear title; second run- ner up and Miss Photogenic Majestik F. Estrada Petersen; second runner up and Miss Intellect K’ Nyzha K. Henry; and second runner up and Miss Cooperative Adajah Y. Benjamin. About 100 people attended the event which was held at the Gladys Abraham Elementary School. Francielli Baker Let Our Energies Combine for Carnival 09 The UVI St. Thomas campus Carnival Committee used the concept of going green to develop this year’s entry for the May 2, Carnival Adults’ Parade. The theme is “Let Our Energies Combine for Carnival 2009,” with a focus on the use of alternative energy – sun, wind, earth and water – which is represented in each section of the troupe. The mocko jumbie section represents the forests. The costumes and fl oat are being designed with the use of recycled wire hangers, CDs, LP albums, toilet paper and paper towel bases and burlap. Volunteers are still needed to help with costume and fl oat construction. For more information, to join the troupe or to volunteer call St. Thomas Cam- pus Student Activities Supervisor Junie Violenes at 693-1111. Earth Water Sun Wind UVI St. Thomas campus student employees were rec- ognized for their contributions to the University during Student Employee Appreciation Week in April. It included the Student Em- ployee Appreciation Awards Ceremony. The highlight was the selection of the Student Employee of the Year. UVI Se- nior Rick Grant received the honor of Student Employee of the Year. Nomi- nations for the award are submitted by supervisors and students are judged on reliability, initiative, quality of work, disposition and contribution to employer. Grant worked in the Student Activities Offi ce. Lena Lafond of the Admissions Offi ce and Nicoye Smithen of the East- ern Caribbean Center were fi nalists for the award. Rick Grant Wins Student Honor