-UVI College Fair and Open House 2012

By: Kimberly Prevost

Kean students shape up at UVI’s Field House

A total of 69 students and three chaperones from the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School attended the University of the Virgin Islands’ (UVI) Open House and Fall Fest on September 28th, 2012.

The facilities that students toured included the gymnasium, the dorms, the library, and the laundromat.

Students also learned about the different popular majors like Nursing, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Early Childhood Education. People with these degrees find jobs and help others in need.

Students also learned about many different activities at the Open House, like joining the different sororities, fraternities and JROTC.

The National Student Exchange (NSE) program offers students a chance to study at other institutes in the US, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and Canada. Students learn about different cultures, different geographical locations, and explore graduate schools and employment options.

The tuition at UVI is very affordable. According to the Daily News, UVI’s board of trustees voted to increase tuition in 2013 starting in the fall. The new tuition rates for fall 2013 will be: Part-time undergraduate student, resident $140 per credit; Part-time undergraduate student, non-resident $420 per credit; Full-time undergraduate student, resident $4,190 per year; Full-time undergraduate student, non-resident $12,570 per year; Graduate student, resident $350 per credit; Graduate student, non-resident $700 per credit.

“The price is a very good price, for young people who have just graduated from high school,” said by Lethia Phipps, a second year nursing student at UVI.

UVI has some new dorms which you could learn about by following this link. http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/students-settle-in-at-new-uvi-dorm-1.1366506

A common room at the new dorm

A bedroom at the new dorm

“I liked the College Fair/ Open House; it had a great impact on me because I learned about the different subjects and the different activities that you could join,” said by T’quanna Petty a senior at Kean.

Dr. Alexander Randall, Professor of Communications, gets a student interested in his product.

UVI offers academic majors in Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Business and more. Ms. Annette Bertrand, 12th grade counselor at IEKHS, said that she thinks that students have to know themselves before they can apply themselves at UVI. Ms.Bertrand also said that there’s an exchange program with Boston University and Columbia University. One of the programs that allows students to start at UVI and end at Boston University or Columbia University is the nursing program.

The most well known program in UVI is the 3-2 Engineering program.

According to the UVI website, “At the end of the program, the student receives a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from the University of the Virgin Islands, and a Bachelor of Science in his or her chosen field of engineering from the affiliated university. A student may also opt to complete another existing UVI bachelors degree by completing all those requirements before enrolling at the affiliated university for the B.S. in engineering.

“The University of the Virgin Islands has agreements with Columbia University, University of Florida, and University of South Carolina. The University of South Carolina and the University of Florida are members, along with the University of the Virgin Islands and Clemson University, of the SouthEast Alliance for Graduate Education to the Professoriate.” (SEAGEP)http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/DSM-Engineering-Home.aspx?s=AC

UVI also has a similar program in pre-med; students of this program transfer in their fourth year to the prestigious Boston University Medical School. According to UVI’s website “Students apply for admission to this program during their sophomore year at UVI. Once accepted, students spend the summers after their sophomore and junior years at Boston University. They also spend their senior year at Boston University, completing their degree requirements and taking medical school courses. In this way, students earn double credit for BA/BS and MD degrees as a college senior. Students graduate from UVI and then enter the Boston University School of Medicine. “ http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Pages/DSM-PreMed-Path_to_Medical_School.aspx?s=AC

Dr. Lorna Young-Wright, Professor of Music ,speak to Dr. Alexander Randall

The Fall Fest coincided with the annual Health Awareness Day. Students received free tests for blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood glucose and HIV screening. Massage therapy and other stress reduction techniques, mental health information and more were available.

UVI’s Access and Enrollment Services offers admission and registration information to high school juniors and seniors, recent graduates and all others interested in attending UVI.

Financial aid eligibility is determined through the use of free application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA). The financial assistance may be in the form of scholarships.