UVI Welcomes New Students To St. Croix Campus With Convocation Ceremony

ST. CROIX — The University of the Virgin Islands welcomed new students to its fall 2015 semester with a short but well organized convocation ceremony on Thursday at the Albert A. Sheen Campus’ Great Hall that saw speeches from Student Government Association (SGA) President Sophia Johnson and UVI President Dr. David Hall, along with inspirational specials from the institution’s choir. A similar ceremony took place the day before on the St. Thomas campus.

The event’s theme, “Thrive Beyond Your Potential”, set the stage for speeches that encouraged the freshmen to learn but have fun and make friends while doing so. Johnson’s talk, focused mostly on UVI’s offerings, gave students a crash course on the university’s offerings.

“At this institution, you will find various undergrad and graduate degree programs in five different academic divisions,” Johnson said, before listing those divisions as business, education, liberal arts and social sciences, nursing, science and mathematics.

“While you’re within these walls do not just attended classes,” Johnson encouraged, “indulge in the information that are being taught. Surround yourself with positive energy, goal-seeking students and hard-working accomplished student organizations like the Golden Key Honor Society, the Psychology Club, Brothers With A Cause, Sisters With Purpose, Team Making A Difference and the Student Government Association.”

Dr. David Hall

It was UVI’s President that really drove home the point of higher education with an exceptional keynote, though, using his personal experiences while in school and meshing them with best practices of college life to form a speech that was well balanced and effective.

Dr. Hall stressed the importance of having a “dream” while at UVI, without which one may become confused.

“Higher education is a process that can either fuel your dreams or turn off your dreams,” Dr. Hall said. “And unless you are clear about what that dream is and how deeply you want it, then you may become dissolution.”

He added: “Our goal as a university is to fuel your dreams so that you can change your life, change the world and make it a better place.”

The president then provided his top ten principles, based on the convocation’s theme, as to how students can thrive beyond their potential and lead a “healthy and successful life in college.”

1: Never have a closed mind until you have first opened your mind as wide as you can. “Do not settle for what you already know as the limits for what you can really know.

2: Study like your life depends on it, because it does. “You will not physically die if you come to class unprepared, but the quality of your life will be determined by how much thoughtful and quality time you spend with the materials that have been placed before you.”

3: View the next few years as a license for you to explore the world and not as a prison sentence that you serve. “Take advantage of our student exchanges like the Washington Center program where you can serve as interns for congresspeople and other governmental agencies.”

4: Ask questions when you think you know the answers, and especially when you don’t know. “Engaging in the educational process is what will inspire you to create an educational program for yourself and not just follow the path of others.”

From Left: Sabrina Jones, a St. Croix Central High School graduate, now a freshman at UVI.

5: View higher education as an ocean that you can explore, but always have an anchor. “Always know from whence you came and why you came here. Though I urge you to explore and to reach to higher heights, I also urge you to remain grounded in something greater than yourself. Your spiritual foundation can support you when the storms begin to rage in your life.”

6: Read, read and read again. “If you don’t enjoy and immerse yourself in reading, then this journey will be hard and less fulfilling. Let books, articles and even old manuscripts allow you to open doors to yourself and to the world.”

7: Make at least one friend that will last you a lifetime. “College is a time to form genuine relationships that can enrich your life tremendously. I fell in love with Jazz music because of my college roommate. He opened a door that I had never walked into before and it made my life richer for the years in college, but also for many years afterwards.”

8: Take control of your educational pathway to success and don’t depend exclusive on anyone else, including us.

9: Have fun and laugh a lot. “Laughter is the fuel of a joyous heart. “Despite the seriousness of higher education, it ain’t that serious. Never forget to have fun. Never forget to enjoy life with those around you. Just make sure that that enjoyment is not at the expense of someone else. Don’t let a moment of pleasure become a lifetime of trauma.

10: Pay your tuition. “We want you to stay with us, but we can’t fuel your dreams unless we get the fuel to stay in business.”

Following Dr. Hall’s speech, medallions were bestowed upon the new students, who proudly walked up to the stage to receive their welcoming medal, all with smiles permeating their faces.