Rate this HBCU Day 5: University of the Virgin Islands

[DrBanneker]

The last HBCU rated was Langston University of Oklahoma which received an average rating of 7.

There are so many unique things about the University of the Virgin Islands, it is hard to find where to start. They are the only HBCU not in the continental US. The latest established HBCU--founded in 1962 as a land grant school. The only HBCU I know of that has their own beach (see the YT campus tour below)! It is a relatively small school but understand the context that it has 1,600+ students where the total Virgin Islands only has about 105k people. So it is a big deal for its area. It also pulls in students from nearby St. Kitts & Nevis as well as other smaller Caribbean countries. Its biggest comparison is probably the University of the West Indies in Jamaica which is a little bit older and MUCH bigger (50,000 students). Graduates seem to mostly stay local though some come to the US. Anybody with info please drop in this thread.

I also cribbed a historical explanation from an @IllmaticDelta post from a few years ago too.

@Ice Cold is an alum I believe.

Oh yea, they were the location of College Hill Season 4


Basic data (all data 2021 unless otherwise noted)
Founded: 1962
City, State: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (with another campus on St. Croix)
Type: 4-Year Public
Nickname: Buccaneers
Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 1,624 (1,374 undergraduate), 70% Black
Out of State Percentage: 3%
Part-time student percentage: 36%
First Generation Student Percentage: 47%
Percentage of students from households under $30k/over $100k: 58%/3%
Out of State Percentage: 3%
Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: 98%
4-yr/6-yr graduation rates: 9% / 32%
Transfer out rate: N/A
Male/Female percentages (Female:Male Ratio): 28%/72% (2.6:1)
Tuition: In-State: $5.2k Out-of-State: $14.5k; there is a free tuition program for those who qualify
Median Federal Debt After Graduation: $16,500
Median Parent PLUS Loans After Graduation: N/A

Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $37,808
Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation:
Registered Nursing: $61,498, Business Administration: $35,047

Top Majors by Degrees:
Business Administration, Accounting, Registered Nursing, Biology, Criminal Justice


Endowment: $83M
Alumni Engagement: N/A
Athletic Conference: Until 2022: Continental Athletic Conference (NAIA); Starting 2023: Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (NAIA)

Mascot: Buccaneers

Prominent Alumni:

Janice Daniel-Hodge - Director and Chairperson of the Bank of Nevis Ltd.

Silveria Jacobs - Prime Minister of Sint Maarten

Hannibal "Mike" Ware - Inspector General of the Small Business Administration

Main Campus - St. Thomas

St. Croix Campus

Fitness Center

Medical Simulation Center

Basketball Stadium

Cheerleaders (old)

UVI Dance Team

@SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @Get These Giants @Smokee Robinson @MostReal @Tee @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Willie Lump Lump @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @Karume @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @TheKongoEmpire @Son_Of_God @Theolodius_Black @mson @xoxodede @Anerdyblackguy @EndDomination @ab.aspectus @Peachstate @Gloxina @HarlemHottie @Originalman @IllmaticDelta

 

[F*ckthemkids]

14,500 a year?!?!

 

[get these nets]

Gotta tag @Akae Beka

 

[Diondon]

It's cool

 

[TallMan_J]

That school seems like an absolute joke. I’m basing that upon what I’ve witnessed on College Hill and a quick Google search. I could be completely wrong though.

Regarding academics, what is this institution known for or prestigious in? Any cultural significance or dominance? What are the post graduate opportunities looking like?

I would never attend that school, unless I had a full ride scholarship and it was my only offer. I wouldn’t pay for my children to go there neither.

 

[Akae Beka]

I remember visiting the St.Croix campus for workshops and whatnot in my summers when I went to elementary school there. There's not a abundance of opportunities on the island, so most prefer to go stateside schools if they could. We do have some transfers coming from stateside. It's a small school kinda catered to the island population and the ones surrounding. Since opportunities are not plentiful, a degree is necessary I you want a decent paying job, not involve in manual labor. Even as a kid, I didn't view the school as some big prestige school just continual education. So yeah, if you like the island life and want to stay there, it may work for you.

If you live stateside, unless u want to save money and live a different way of life, I wouldn't recommend.

 

[LezJepzin]

Those graduation rates

 

[Money Be Green]

One of goat College Hill seasons

 

[Rollie Forbes]

 

[Sonic Boom of the South]

I don't see how someone can rate a school they did not attend

 

[Memorial Stadium Piru]

I would've been too busy eating fried fish & chasing around island tings to be focused on my grades

 

[DropTopDoc]

That school seems like an absolute joke. I’m basing that upon what I’ve witnessed on College Hill and a quick Google search. I could be completely wrong though.

Regarding academics, what is this institution known for or prestigious in? Any cultural significance or dominance? What are the post graduate opportunities looking like?

I would never attend that school, unless I had a full ride scholarship and it was my only offer. I wouldn’t pay for my children to go there neither.

I look at hbcu’s like this as Hail Marys for kids with few options, and for the island it’s a decent choice with a path to a degree, that’s half the battle in life, a degree and possible

The thought of being on an island for 4 years that’s warm and the beach, sounds so good, I’d probably have fukked up, 14k for out of state is insane, they need to lower that to be attractive, and honestly if they got a few graduate majors, folks would go there in a heart beat

 

[Dwayne_Taylor]

shytting on HBCUs gotta be one of the top 5 past times here.

 

[TallMan_J]

I look at hbcu’s like this as Hail Marys for kids with few options, and for the island it’s a decent choice with a path to a degree, that’s half the battle in life, a degree and possible

The thought of being on an island for 4 years that’s warm and the beach, sounds so good, I’d probably have fukked up, 14k for out of state is insane, they need to lower that to be attractive, and honestly if they got a few graduate majors, folks would go there in a heart beat

We’re on the same page.

There are a handful of HBCU’s that I think are excellent institutions. If my daughters want to go to Howard, Spellman, Clark Atlanta, or FAMU, I’d support them.

Any other, and it’s not happening. If they have full scholarship, cool. I’m not paying for it unless it’s one of the schools that I listed above though.

Also, it will be instilled in them that they are there for an education. All of that “Greek Life”, turning up, and extracurricular shyt is not what I’m paying for.

 

[GatorStaceyAdams]

Those graduation rates

1 out of 10 kids graduating is damn near comical. Should be shut down quite frankly.

You have about the same odds of getting into an Ivy/Semi-Ivy, than graduating from that University (ofc not apples to apples).