Tag Archives: St. Thomas Campus

Campus Life and Issues, Feature, News, Opinion

New Students Set Sail for Academic Success

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Feature Photo Caption: Ryan Shaw ready to take on the new academic year and next, the world. (Photo taken on St. Thomas courtesy of Adeola Adelekan, Orientation Leader)

By Alicia Taylor and Nathalie Trow-McDonald

IMG_0560Albert A. Sheen- St. Croix campus new student orientation island tour, August 20, at Point Udall. (Courtesy of Catey Mendoza, a National Student Exchange student from Alaska)

Albert A. Sheen – St. Croix Campus Orientation: Perspectives of An Exchange Student

Attending UVI is the beginning of our flight towards success. With the help of the orientation staff and student leaders, we were introduced to the flight attendants and captains that will assist in our navigation throughout the journey we call college.

Throughout our flight journey at UVI, we were instructed on safety precautions and instruments we can utilize to assist us. We were educated about campus security, dating and violence, sexual assault and physical and mental health concerns. Through counseling and health services, RAVE and a variety of other departments on campus, students can be reassured that the flight they are traveling on is a safe one.

The theme for orientation on the Albert A. Sheen campus on St. Croix was “Navigating Your Path to Academic Success,” hence all the flight metaphors.

Being a National Student Exchange (NSE) student, the Virgin Islands was an unknown territory waiting to be revealed to me. Attending orientation allowed me the opportunity to experience the university and the culture of St. Croix first hand.

The orientation staff and faculty made it their priority to make sure each student either learned or was reminded of the heritage of St. Croix and the Virgin Islands. Meals were prepared with a variety of foods local to the Caribbean, including the introduction of two local food trucks for students to try at lunch.

The St. Croix campus offered orientation students to take part in a movie night at the Caribbean Cinema, an island tour, bowling at Ten Pins and snorkeling lessons.

Of all the organized activities and events, the New Student Convocation and Buccaneer Welcome Reception was my favorite. Specifically, President Hall’s address to the students.

“He was engaging, relatable and genuinely cared about each of us individually,” said Cassie (Cassandra) Glodowski, a NSE student from Wisconsin. “He didn’t just see us as a statistic, but rather as a student of UVI.”

After walking the stage and being bestowed the medal, I felt like an official member of the Buccaneer community. UVI is proud of each and every student, whether they are here for a semester or five years. The bond created here is unbreakable and each individual of this community will assist in navigating you towards the path of academic success.

Regardless of the destination, you have allowed UVI to provide a stamp on your passport of life. Continue reading New Students Set Sail for Academic Success →

Announcements, Campus Life and Issues, News

UVI Welcome Back How-To: The Parking Permit Situation

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Featured Photo: Designated Parking Map of the St. Thomas Campus. (Courtesy of the University of the Virgin Islands)

Alayna Belshe |

ST. THOMAS – This is my third fall semester at UVI and every year I learn a little more about how to get things done at our university. This year, I mastered getting a parking pass and completing the vehicle registration process.

If you are new to campus or if you have been lucky enough to get a new vehicle over the summer, you need to register your vehicle online through your BanWeb account before you visit the security office.

To complete the online registration you need:

  • Your driver’s license
  • Your license plate number
  • Your car’s make
  • Your car’s color
  • Your car’s year

Accessing BanWeb is as simple as logging into your MyCampus page on the UVI website and selecting the BanWeb link on the left.

BanWeb Location

Screenshot of the BanWeb Home Page after Logging into MyCampus (August 2016)

After filling out the vehicle registration form found on BanWeb, proceed to the campus security office. The entrance to the office is right next to the Banco Popular ATM on the St. Thomas campus and near the First Bank ATM by the Evans Center on the Albert A. Sheen- St. Croix campus.

You will need to bring your driver’s license, registration and your student ID. (If you still don’t have your UVI Student ID, a piece of paper with your name and ID number will be accepted).

The campus security office is open 24 hours a day, so there is no excuse for not getting this done.

The best part of this whole process is that the permit is free. (Provided that you do not lose said permit, otherwise be prepared to fork over $25.00 to the security office.)

As of Wednesday morning all members of the UVI community received an email detailing the parking policy and the process of registering your vehicle including maps of appropriate parking for each campus.

Good luck to all of us finding our preferred parking spaces!

stxparkingposter1 (1).jpg

Designated Parking Map of the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. (Courtesy of the University of the Virgin Islands)

Feature, News, Sports

UVI Bucs not deterred by last season’s losses

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PATRICE RENEE HARRIS|

ST. THOMAS – If you ever need a lesson in determination and perseverance look no further than the UVI Men’s Buccaneers basketball team.

Continue reading UVI Bucs not deterred by last season’s losses →

Announcements, Campus Life and Issues, News

Senate Passes Weekend Bus Services Bill

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ALAYNA BELSHE|

ST. THOMAS — University of the Virgin Islands’ students will soon have easy access to campus facilities such as the library and fitness center on the weekends.

Continue reading Senate Passes Weekend Bus Services Bill →

Feature

Student Entrepreneurs at UVI

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PATRICE RENEE’ HARRIS |

ST. THOMAS – Yentyl and Khalarni wake up each day enthused about their new business. Their hectic 18-hour days begins at 6 a.m. Throughout the day, they bounce between jobs, assignments, classes, school organizations, and their new business, leaving little time for a social life. or sleep.

Left: Khalarni Rivers, Right: Yentyl Levet at The Mix on the waterfront infront of BurgerMaxx, downtown Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas USVI. Photo Credit: Yentyl Levet
Left: Khalarni Rivers, Right: Yentyl Levet at The Mix on the waterfront infront of BurgerMaxx, downtown Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas USVI.
Photo Credit: Yentyl Levet

At this time of the semester, many students at the University of the Virgin Islands are worrying about final projects, research papers, carnival celebrations and senior year.

The same cannot be said of 21-year-old Yentyl Levet and 22-year-old Kharlani Rivers. These two students are not ordinary UVI juniors. Yentyl and Khalarni are busy running their own business – The Mix.

The Mix is a recently opened coffee stand located in front of Burger Maxx on the Charlotte Amalie waterfront. The Mix offers frozen and hot organic coffee.

Ultimately, Levet and Rivers wish to turn the coffee stand into a full-blown business by 2016.
Kharlani decided to open The Mix to inspire more Virgin Islanders to become entrepreneurs.

Khalarni said, “As a young Virgin Island male, I realized there weren’t many black locally owned businesses and I wanted to change that.”

The idea to open The Mix began about six months prior to the launch of the business and came as a result for the need to do something greater for themselves and their community.

Establishing this business was also a means to provide funding for their youth initiative- TEHO, To Each His Own- a community project designed to help young adults reach their full potential. Opening The Mix meant more than giving up their social lives; Rivers is now taking fewer credits in order to run the business daily.

DJ Temp playing at SGA's Back to school party at UVI Sports at Fitness Center, January 2015. Photo Credit: Michael McFarlane
DJ Temp playing at SGA’s Back to school party at UVI Sports at Fitness Center, January 2015.
Photo Credit: Michael McFarlane

Desperate for opportunities and exposure, some students such as Michael McFarlane and Branford Parker did not have to reduce their course load, but gave up video games in their pursuit of becoming business practitioners.

Parker, a freelance photographer and videographer, and McFarlane, a radio personality and disc jockey, are rising Communication majors at UVI.

Both students said that at first they had to provide their services for free to make a name at the university.

While most of their work is freelance, it is their dream one day to open their own companies, but for now, they use the money made from small gigs to fund their schooling.

McFarlane, DJ Temp, plays regularly at nightclubs around St. Thomas and hopes one day to be on the poster for every party. McFarlane believes that he is getting closer to his goal as his weekends are becoming a lot busier.

Malisa Ragnauth. Owner of Caribbean Imports, Tortola, British Virgin Islands Photo Credit: Malisa Ragnauth
Malisa Ragnauth.
Owner of Caribbean Imports, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Photo Credit: Malisa Ragnauth

For many British Virgin Islands students at UVI, like Malisa Ragnauth, their weekends usually include a commute home via the ferry every Friday.

However, Ragnauth is not journeying home just to meet with friends and family. The graduating accounting senior is the owner of her own business, Caribbean Imports, based in Tortola.

Ragnauth said it is not easy commuting every weekend to Tortola but her business depends on her physical presence. For Malisa, one of her greatest regrets is not being physically present to receive customer feedback.

Ragnauth’s business has been in existence for the past two years and was created at first when her parents, originally from Guyana, were not able to find Guyanese products in Tortola.

Malisa’s company imports fresh seafood, spices, seasoning, groceries and clothing from Trinidad and Guyana.

Malisa said she wanted to fill the void left by supermarkets offering American products only.

Kharlani, Yentyl, Branford, Michael and Malisa are not the only students at UVI working to achieve their goals of becoming business entrepreneurs.

The culture of entrepreneurship is being cultivated by the school’s annual 13-D competition. Participants in the program stand to win as much as $30,000 in prizes for their business ideas.

UVI 13D Coordinator, Glen Metts said “This year the competition started out with approximately 20 teams in the fall. The first competitive round was held on March 20th, which declares 6 finalist teams to compete on April 24th,” Metts said. “The competition is very exciting and the remaining participants will present their business ideas to a panel of judges.”

Feature

Freshman Fears

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KIANA JOHN-BAPTISTE |

St. THOMAS- Transitioning from high school to college may be a breeze for some, but for others, it may become quite the headache.

Shaquan Lewis, an 18-year-old accounting major, thought that “making friends and keeping up with the work load would be the most difficult things to get used to.” In the high school he attended, his teachers and friends made it seem like the college professors were “heartless monsters.” To get over his fear, Lewis made sure he stayed on top of the game. He always made sure to look at his syllabus, and plan his day the night before, to make sure to complete every task that he is given.

Bombarded by work
Bombarded by work

Jakobi Peetes, an 18-year-old applied math major at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas, said, “The hardest thing for me was finding a balance between school work and fun.”

Some students are prepared and ready for the change, like Jaelene Henderson who is an 18-year-old freshman. This commuter said, “I haven’t had any difficult experiences with transitioning from high school.”

Partying, sex and peer pressure, are present everywhere, and it increases during the years of college. Peetes said he wasn’t worried because he “knew what he was taught.”

This is not the case for some freshmen. Sadly, many of them lose themselves to become part of the crowd.

Safety is a big part of what students are afraid of. School shootings occur across the United States, and that can traumatize many freshmen.

Procrastination is an epidemic that has become a serious problem for many. Some students, especially freshmen, may procrastinate way too much.

“In some subjects like social science and English I can save for last,” Peetes said, “ but classes like math and science, I complete right away.”

The transition from high school to college may be frightening, but there is always a way to conquer it. It’s up to you to figure out your balance and make your college career successful!

 

Campus Life and Issues, News

UVI Anticipates Successful Afternoon On The Green 2015

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Patrice Harris |

ST. THOMAS — The University of the Virgin Islands is set to host the 26th edition of Afternoon on the Green on Sunday March 15, on the Herman E. Moore Golf Course, St. Thomas Campus. UVI is inviting the community to partake in food, family fun and live entertainment. The event commences at noon to 5 p.m. and will be held under the theme “It’s a Cultural Scene at Afternoon on the Green.”
atogLiza Margolis, UVI senior coordinator of donor relations and special events said that Afternoon on the Green is a one-of-a-kind fun event that changes every year. Proceeds from the annual event fund scholarships for UVI students.

Prizes for this year’s cook-off competition include round-trip tickets to Puerto Rico, dinner for four provided by Passion Fruit Chefs and two round-trip tickets to St. Croix. Prizes will also be awarded to cooks in each category, which include pastries and sweets, soups, native drinks, vegetables/casseroles, main dishes/meats/poultry, seafood, and breads.

Entertainment will be provided by Cool Session, Flip Switch, Flambo Combo, the EBO Steel Owls, the Mungo Niles Cultural Dancers and the Cherubim Wesleyan Methodist Dancers. In the Kid’s Village, there will be fun games, relay races, kick ball, hula hoops, tug of war and bounce houses. There will also be a mini parade of 25 vintage Volkswagens and Mustangs that will make a grand entrance on the green.

The Afternoon on the Green is sponsored by West Indian Company Limited, First Bank, St. Thomas Federal Credit Union, the VI Housing Authority – Youth Build, VI Waste Management Authority, Thrive Chiropractic, Pro Solar, VI Auto Club, MSI, Merchants Bank, Paint Depot, the West Indies Company, Choice Communications, Seaborne Airlines and 104.3 The Buzz.

Feature

Chris Gardner Urges Students to Stick to Plan ‘A’

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CORLISS SMITHEN |

THOMAS, V.I. – A hush fell over the University of the Virgin Islands’ Sports and Fitness Center when Chris Gardner’s deep, baritone voice resonated across the room.

Gardner, a noted author and philanthropist, was the featured guest speaker on Tuesday at this year’s 5th annual Man-Up Conference held under the theme, “Awakening the Leader Within.”  The Chris Gardner at Tuesday’s event was a far cry from his former self 20 years ago.

Dressed in a champagne-colored jacket, light blue shirt and black pants, Gardner stood tall and statuesque at the podium ready to address the scores of schoolboys gathered inside the auditorium.

Gardner, 61, rose to prominence in 2006 after the publication of his Book, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” in May of that year. The autobiography became a New York Times and Washington Post #1 bestseller. It has since been translated into more than 40 languages.

“When I wrote The Pursuit of Happyness, it was not my idea because I had to relive a whole lot of stuff I didn’t want to think about,” Gardner said.

He said that as a result of the book, he has been frequently asked if he could do it again and if he would change anything from the past; His answer to each question is ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ respectively.

Chris Garder addresses scores of male-students at UVI's 2015 Man-Up Male Empowerment Conference. (via: UVI.edu facebook)
Chris Garder addresses scores of male-students at UVI’s 2015 Man-Up Male Empowerment Conference.
(via: UVI.edu facebook)

Seven months after his book was published, Columbia Pictures released a film with the same name with Will Smith starring as Gardner.

“The film is often referred to as a ‘Rags-to-Riches’ story. For me, it was not about money; it was about a man giving his son something he never had: a father,” Gardner said.

Addressing the group of middle and high school boys from across St. Thomas, Gardner began his presentation recounting experiences from his childhood, which was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy, and telling how he suffered at the hands of his stepfather.  Gardner never knew his father and he made the decision not to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“Every day my stepfather would remind me that he isn’t my stepfather and he would put a shotgun to my chest to remind me,” Gardner said. “I could have become my stepfather – an alcoholic, wife-beating, child-abusing, illiterate loser – but I chose to go the other way.”

In the brief account of his life, Gardner recalled that he was penniless and homeless, and had to raise his son on his own. He said it was during the early ‘80s when the U.S. was going through a recession and unemployment was at 29 percent, and that homelessness was becoming a major issue in America.

“I made the decision that if I had to sleep in a public washroom with my child tied to my back at 28 years, I would because I made that decision as a five-year-old boy,” Gardner said.

Gardner’s luck began to turn around in 1982 after he earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program, an American Stock Brokerage and Securities firm. The program offered no salary and he remained homeless but with determination and perseverance, Gardner eventually became a fulltime employee of the firm.  Five years later, he moved on establish his own brokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Co., in Chicago, Illinois.

Gardner credited his willpower and determination to his mother, Betty Jean Triplett and his “spiritual genetics,” a term which he coined.

“My mother said, ‘Son, you can do or be anything you want to be.’ That’s the transferal of the American Dream,” he said, as a picture of his mother flashed on two large projector screens erected at the front. As for the term “spiritual genetics,” Gardner explained that the concept simply means “that which makes you, you.”

Punctuating his speech with two scenes from the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, Gardner sought to explain how those scenes accurately depicted his life.

Gardner ended his 30-minute presentation by urging his audience to develop a plan and stick to it. “Our plan has to have five C’s: it must be clear, concise, compelling, consistent and committed,” he said.

With the use of visual aid, Gardner presented pictures of Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, U.S. President Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela.

“They all had a Plan A and stuck to it. They had no Plan B. Plan B sucks; give Plan B to someone you don’t like for Christmas,” Gardner said, leading the boys to chant, “Plan B sucks, Plan B sucks.”

Among the other speakers for the day were UVI’s President Dr. David Hall and Gerlinder Cheri-Difo.  “The message we’re sending to you today is that each one of you is destined to be a leader,” Hall said. “We want to remind you of that and not lose sight of that. You determine what happens to your life and not the person next to you.”

Gerlinder Cheri-Difo,  a senior at the Charlotte Amalie High School, told his peers “Reach deep down and pull yourself up. Join me in the pursuit of happiness. It’s not elusive anymore.”

Musical entertainment was provided by the group, Rock City. The musical duo, Timothy and Theron Thomas, are St. Thomas natives who now live in Atlanta. They told the schoolboys about their lives growing up in the projects and how their family managed to eke out a living, and about their struggles in Atlanta to get to where they are today. The two have written hit singles for several recording artistes, including Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Brown. This year, they received two Grammy nominations for “Best Pop Vocal Albums.”

The Man-Up conference was sponsored by UVI, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Education and UVI Brothers With a Cause. The program was presented Wednesday on St. Croix.

Campus Life and Issues

UVI Contracts New Vendor for Dining Pavilion

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PATRICE RENEE HARRIS |

cafeteria
New furniture at UVI Cafeteria Photo Credit: Patrice Harris

ST. THOMAS — Responding to concerns and outcry from students for an improvement in the dining experience at the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas Campus, the university contracted Goddard Catering Group (GCG) as the new vendor in January 2015.

The five-year contract with GCG , which commenced in spring 2015, replaced L’ettoile Catering, which served the university for nearly a decade.

Housing and dining services supervisor at UVI, Sean Georges, said “the university received bids from four vendors and were impressed with the plans and presentation by GCG.”

Georges also said that the new cafeteria is a brand new style of dining.

The new vendor has implemented massive changes since assuming its role in January 2015. These changes include: All-you-can-eat buffets from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and the installation of new furniture and healthier meal options for students. Another newly implemented change is that students are no longer allowed to remove food from the dining pavilion.

According to a statement on the company’s website last September, GCG intends to improve “student nutrition and meal plans as well as the dining area by providing unique, innovative, cost-effective concepts that would provide the students with a variety of meal options with flexible pricing and meal times to accommodate their busy schedules.”

General Manager Jahmal Dyer said the dining pavilion is not complete. Other changes to be made include the installation of air conditioning, a sound system, touch screen monitors to display daily menus and a wider variety of menu choices.

Dyer added that the company is currently searching for another chef to help implement a greater selection of special diet meal options and cultural days including Oriental Day.

Secondary education senior Kimberly Donovan said that she likes the new cafeteria. She said that the staff is friendly, the décor is welcoming and the food has improved significantly.

While students have lodged complaints and provided suggestions on how service at the new cafeteria can be further improved, the overall feedback on the new dining pavilion has been positive.

The award winning company supplies food to US Airways, United Airlines, Continental Airways, Delta Airlines and Net Jets. GCG is also the proprietor of Delly Deck on St. Thomas.

GCG is based in Latin America and the Caribbean and owns restaurants in the Virgin Islands.

Campus Life and Issues

Top 5 Take out joints for UVI students

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KIANA JOHN-BAPTISTE |

ST.THOMAS–Let’s face it cafeteria food does not always satisfy one’s hunger. Often, students would rather go out, or have food delivered to their room.

“Sometimes I do not feel like eating the café food and going off campus is easy, so why not.” Gabrielle Joseph, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of the Virgin Islands said.

Here is a list of the top five places to eat under $10 on St. Thomas, for UVI students:

1. Burger Maxx–Conveniently placed on the waterfront, Burger Maxx is your go-to place for burgers, wings, fries and sandwiches. Their hours are perfect for a hungry college student. On weekdays, they open from 11a.m. to midnight. On Fridays, they are open from 11 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturdays, their doors open at 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Their business hours on Sundays are from 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. They also have a lunch special: ½ pound burger with fries and a beverage for only $10. Although it may take a while for your order to be ready, customers are able to relax in their air conditioned store front, or outside under the cabana. To avoid long lines and waiting times, call in your order!

2. Domino’s–Located less than five minutes away from campus in Nisky Center, Domino’s is the favorite of many students. This establishment serves pizza, sandwiches, and wings. The hours are Mondays through Thursdays: 10 a.m.to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to midnight and on Sundays, 11a.m. to 10 p.m. This is the most convenient and simple way to get food. They deliver for only $2.50 extra. One thing that may deter students from buying is that the order has to be over $17, including the delivery fee

Burger Maxx ½ burger with seasoned fries Taken by: Kiana John-Baptiste
Burger Maxx ½ burger with seasoned fries
Taken by: Kiana John-Baptiste

3. Subway- This popular food chain is located right next to Domino’s and is the healthiest choice out of all of them. Subway has a special for everyday; a six inch sub with a drink for $5. There also is the popular $5 foot long. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sundays 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The sandwiches are very filling and cost effective. There are very few negative comments on this fast-food chain.

4. Wendy’s- Located about 15 minutes from campus, in the Havensight area, is the Wendy’s restaurant. This American fast food chain sells sandwiches, fries and frosty’s. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Sunday through Thursdays and on Fridays and Sundays, the open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The drive-thru is always opened an hour later in respect to the restaurant times. The meals here may be a little pricey.

5. McDonald’s- There are two locations that are easily accessible for UVI students: One is about 10 minutes away in Frenchtown, and the other about 20 minutes away in Lockhart Gardens. McDonald’s has a $4.75 special combo for each day of the week. They often rearrange them to prevent the customers from becoming bored with their choices. This is the cheapest option that students have. The hours are Sunday through Thursday 6 a.m. until 11p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays, they are open until midnight. Although this option is not the healthiest, it can be filling; just do not visit it too often!

Sports

New and Improved Buccaneers Fall Short to Sacred Heart

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Gerald Bellot |

ST. THOMAS –The University of the Virgin Islands men’s basketball team traveled to San Juan, Puerto on Jan. 31 to play their second conference game against the University of Puerto Rico’s team, Sacred Heart.

The UVI Bucs look to better their record (1-0) on the road against a team that outmatched them by 31 points last year.

This year has already proved to be a better season for the Bucs, as last season they did not taste a win.

The Bucs, previously coached by Ryan Skinner, have made a plethora of changes going into this season. One of the changes was the acquisition of Coach Myron Brown.

Coach Brown spent two seasons at the University of St. Thomas in Miami, Florida. He joined the St. Thomas Bobcats after a season as the Head Coach for DeVry University where he built the DeVry University Men’s Basketball program from scratch without any athletic scholarships.

The Detroit native brings along four years of coaching experience in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics  to the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico for the Bucs this year. In addition to adding a new coach for the program there are also several new athletes that will not be eligible to play in conference this season but are practicing with the team. It seems as though the program may have a better future.

Tip off for the game was scheduled for 8:30 p.m.

At the tip, the Bucs gained the first possession. The Bucs brought the ball down the right side of the court and dumped it in to Dornel Weaver who finished at the basket.

The Bucs opened up the game in a full court man press, a different look from what we have seen in the past.

Sacred Heart responded on the other side of the floor. Chris Rodriguez, Heart’s biggest scoring threat this year, made a 15-footer in the middle of the paint.

Both teams seemed to be a little slow at the beginning of the game, each team with three turnovers. Neither seemed to be completely dominant. At the end of the first quarter the Bucs led by three, the score was 14-11.

After the first quarter the Bucs were led by Weaver with six and Rodriguez with seven.

The second quarter started at a much higher pace. The bench for the Bucs began to respond to the home crowd with chants. It nearly felt like playoff atmosphere.

Sacred Heart came out of the quarter making several adjustments, including a full court press that momentarily baffled the Bucs. They forced two quick turnovers. Joaquin Martinez scored his first bucket on the night.

After a quick timeout, it seemed Coach Brown said all the right things that his team needed to hear. They responded by scoring a quick 8 points, ending Sacred Hearts 5-0 run. Sacred Heart didn’t let that rattle them; Rodriguez fired two corner threes with 2:44 remaining to put them up 29-28.

The Bucs entered the half leading 32-31.

In previous seasons, the Bucs have come out rather sluggish in the second half which lead to their 0-10 season last year. Coach Brown has put a large emphasis on a few things this year. When asked about his team’s ability to play hard in the second half, he responded,  “Games are won in the second half not the first. If we are going to win this game we have to come out ready for a fight.”

This philosophy must have been engraved in the Bucs because they came out swinging. Chris Lockhart and Salim Ross lead an early surge in the beginning of the half. Ross scored an easy four points transition.

Lockhart was just starting to warm up, he scored a quick 8 points from the mid-range. Lockhart found Weaver under the basket with a no look pass. Chase Tomas may have been the game changer in this contest; he scored two and-one baskets early in the quarter that turned the momentum away from Sacred Heart.

Freshman Jabari Alexander and Paul Watson also had great debuts. With 5:20 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Alexander drove along the baseline and dished the ball to Weaver for a basket. The next possession Watson scored an easy bucket on his defender.

There was 3:13 left on the clock in the 3rd quarter. Sacred Heart took the ball out on their sideline after a time out. Steven Quiroz lobbed the ball on the inbound to Alejandro Grant and nearly connected for a game changing alley-oop.

Both teams continued to score back and forth until the end of the quarter. Grant, got his first bucket with 1:00 remaining. Going into the 4th   quarter the Bucs trailed 49-45.

Lockhart led a frenzy from the bucks in the beginning of the quarter, scoring 8 points to give the bucks the lead. Early in the quarter, Grant picked up his 4th foul and went to the bench leaving Sacred Heart at a size disadvantage; However his substitute William Schaening was eager for an opportunity. Schaening hit two big shots to bring Sacred Heart back within single digits.

With 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the bucks were up seven points. It seemed as if they had the game in their hands, but that was not the case. Turnovers continued to plague the Bucs and Sacred Heart began to regain life.

It was nearly a comedy of errors, fumbled passes stepping out of bound and shot clock violations. Nothing was going the Bucs way, yet somehow they remained in the game. In fact, they led by 2 until Schaning hit another big three to put Sacred Heart up 1 with :57 seconds remaining.

Lockhart brought the ball down the court and ran through their play looking for a shot. He had an open look in the middle of the floor and took the shot; he came up short. Watson got the rebound and attempted to score when he was fouled.

Watson went to the line to attempt his 3rd and 4th free throws of the game. His first free throw was short and he had one more attempt. His second free throw was also short; Ross followed the ball and attempted a put-back dunk and he also missed.

Sacred Heart now had possession of the ball with: 5.6 seconds remaining. The ball was in-bounded and Grant was fouled by Watson. Grant went to the line to shoot 2 and cashed in on both attempts.

The Bucs down 3 called their final timeout and advanced the ball to half court. Coach Brown drew up a play for Lockhart but it was defended perfectly. A quick adjustment was made, Watson found Lockhart in the corner for a 3.

Lockhart’s left foot was out of bounds and the ball was called dead before he got to attempt the shot. Sacred Heart took possession and won the game 71-68.

Sacred Heart was led by Rodriguez with 21 and UVI was lead by Lockhart with 26.

Campus Life and Issues, News

UVI Science Dept. partners with St. Thomas Historical Trust for Hassel Island Beach Cleanup

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DAVID B. GUMBS |

ST. THOMAS – Thanks to a mutually beneficial partnership between the University of the Virgin Islands and the St. Thomas Historical Trust, students and teachers from the University’s Science 100 classes were ferried over to Hassel Island on January 31, where they participated in a beach cleanup and beautification event.

Students and Science 100 professors participate in a beach cleanup on Hassel Island on January 31. Photo Credit: David Gumbs
Students and Science 100 Professors participate in a beach cleanup on Hassel Island on January 31.
Photo Credit: David Gumbs

After meeting at the staging area outside of the Hook Line & Sinker restaurant in Frenchtown, the volunteers were divided into three groups and sent over to Hassel Island, with each group being assigned to a different beachhead.

Once on island, each group received a brief but educational tour of the surrounding landmarks and historical sites before spreading out and beginning the cleanup itself.

The resulting experience, which covered a great deal of the island’s shores and nature trails, was a success in helping to preserve both the natural beauty of the local environment and the fragile existence of important historical areas.

It also served as an example to an important topic of discussion: just what impact does the environment have on the University?

“It’s huge,” Amber McCammon, a Science 100 professor on the St. Thomas campus said. “Lots of people come here just for the marine biology program… [but] it’s imperative that we maintain [a balance] for health and tourism reasons also; everything’s connected.”

For the student body, the environment was also a concern as respective Business and Communication students Rachel van Beverhaudt and Asyshah Smith shared.

“[I feel] the environment is in a dangerous position,” van Beverhaudt said. Smith added, “[UVI] needs to maintain it, and it needs to be taken seriously.”

The University seems to approach the topic with dedication since it not only sponsors events such as beach and campus cleanups, but it also raises awareness of the local environment through small natural exhibits that showcase the local ecosystem and flora.

Photo Credit: David Gumbs
Once on island, each group received a brief but educational tour of the surrounding landmarks and historical sites before spreading out and beginning the cleanup itself. Photo Credit: David Gumbs

But can UVI do more? Professor McCammon believes so.

“Events like the beach cleanup on Hassel Island are a solid start, but more can be done,” she said. McCammon stressed that the inclusion of more of the various majors would create a broader range of appeal, which is key for future involvement.

With the environment being such a major part of Virgin Islands identity and income, UVI should be well aware of the consequences of its help, or lack thereof.

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UVI achieves highest giving rate among HBCUs

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Sameca N Hendrickson |

St Thomas – As the only HBCU in the Caribbean, UVIs alumni and supporters has gone above and beyond with their efforts to achieve their goal for the annual giving rate for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

The percentage of alumni donating was fifty-two percent, the highest recorded for any Historically Black College and University.

For the past two consecutive years, UVI has maintained their reputation of having the highest giving rate among HBCUs. With the guidance of Linda Smith, UVI Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs, she and her staff has worked diligently toward this achievement. Continue reading UVI achieves highest giving rate among HBCUs →