University of the Virgin Islands

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University of the Virgin Islands
Motto:	Historically American. Uniquely Caribbean. Globally Interactive.
Established:	1962
Type:	Public
President:	LaVerne Ragster, Ph.D.
Faculty:	103
Staff:	600
Location:	Saint Croix & St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
Nickname:	Buccaneers/Lady Bucs
Website:	www.uvi.edu

The University of the Virgin Islands (or UVI) is a public university located in the United States Virgin Islands. This university has two campuses, one located on Saint Croix and the other located on Saint Thomas. The latter campus is a mere three miles away from Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the territory.

UVI was founded as the College of the Virgin Islands on March 16, 1962. In 1986, it officially became one of the 117 U.S. historically black colleges and universities. The institution also changed its name in 1986 to the University of the Virgin Islands to reflect the growth and diversification of its academic curriculum, research programs, and regional community services. Its liberal arts curriculum is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

In addition, the university works diligently and strategically to recruit local, national and international students to broaden and create a diversified student population, as 94% of its current students are natives of the US Virgin Islands.

[edit] Academics

The university has five academic divisions: Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nursing, and Science and Mathematics. UVI offers several graduate degree programs and undergraduate degree programs. The graduate programs consist of a Specialist Degree in Eduation Specialist in School Psychology and four Masters Degrees in the following: Master of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Mathematics for Secondary Teachers, Master of Business Administration,Master of Marine and Environmental Science, and Master of Public Administration. The Undergraduate Degree Programs are divided into several categories: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Associate of Arts , Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science.

[edit] Athletics

UVI is a member of the NCAA and the Caribbean University Sports Association. It fields Division II and/or III varsity teams for both men and women in basketball, tennis, volleyball, track and field, cross country, swimming, and table tennis. UVI athletic teams are nicknamed "the Buccaneers."

Currently, the head coach of UVI's men's basketball team is Sean Georges.

Also, UVI is a member of the LAI (Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria) university league. LAI was established in 1929 and currently consists of the twenty American universities in the Caribbean - nineteen in Puerto Rico and the University of the Virgin Islands. As a result, UVI athletes' opponents are often from Puerto Rico, although they do play many teams from mainland universities.

The campus on St. Thomas boasts a 64,000 square foot Sports and Fitness Center, as well as a golf course, tennis courts, outdoor basketball and volleyball courts, and baseball and soccer fields. The Sports and Fitness Center can seat up to 3,500 people. On St. Croix, a new outdoor sports facility is equipped with a basketball and volleyball court and tennis courts.

UVI also offers intramural sport activities during both the fall and spring semesters.

[edit] National Student Exchange

At UVI, students from around the nation are allowed to participate in a semester or year-long exchange to UVI through the National Student Exchange. Tuition is paid towards either the student's home or host school. Living on-campus is required at UVI. In addition, students enrolled in UVI have the opportunity to travel to colleges and universities in one of the 50 states, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, or Canada to experience an exchange.

[edit] Filming of College Hill

The fourth season of College Hill, which aired in 2007 on BET, takes place at UVI. Filming began at the start of the 2006-2007 college year. This particular season of the series focused on the culture clash among a group of African-American UVI students on St. Thomas as they try living together, four of whom are native to the West Indies and the rest of whom are transfer students from California. Although the show focuses on the students and their lives, viewers also get glimpses of life in the Virgin Islands in general, including both the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands (in one episode the students visit the British island of Virgin Gorda).

Before camera crews even began shooting the season, the show brought controversy to the university. There were several unsuccessful attempts by students, faculty and administration to prevent the show from being produced on the UVI campus. The controversy had a tremendous resurgence when the first episode of the season aired on BET. Many people at UVI and in the Virgin Islands were offended by the content.

[edit] Notable Alumni

• Dr. Granville Wrensford, former chair of Albany State University's Department of Natural Sciences.
• Richard Skerritt, a businessman and native of St. Kitts and Nevis who graduated UVI in 1980 with a bachelor of science degree and was selected as UVI's first-ever Rhodes scholar. In recent years, Skerritt has also been the manager of the West Indies cricket team.

[edit] External links

• University of the Virgin Islands Official Site, including useful information for students, prospective students, alumni, and visitors
• UVI Voice, the university's award-winning student newspaper
• Archived copies of the printed versions of UVI Voice fully and openly online in the Digital Library of the Caribbean