High school graduates in the U.S. Virgin Islands will now have the opportunity to earn a four-year degree for virtually no tuition costs, thanks to a new law passed in the territory and adopted by the University of the Virgin Islands.
Starting this fall, UVI will be the first four-year historically black institution and one of the few four-year colleges or universities in the United States and associated territories to adopt the free college plan, which has gained traction over several years among
“What truly makes the Virgin Islands approach to free tuition unique and compelling is that funds are also being set aside to support students in their quest to excel,” said UVI President David Hall. “The Act provides funding so that the University can establish new academic support programs to help more students in high school obtain a 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) and new programs at the college level that will help them to maintain a 2.5 GPA.”
The program requires scholarship recipients to fulfill a work service requirement in the Virgin Islands, which officials said in a release can range from two months to three years and must be completed within seven years after graduation.
Officials say more than 1,700 students will be eligible for the inaugural year of the free tuition program, spurred by a $3 million investment from the Virgin Islands Internal Revenue Matching Fund.
Wow UVI is opening up a big can of worms on this one. Take note US 48 HBCUs
Absolutely applauding the USVI! Lead the way and show us how to do it. I do hope someone will be documenting this plight so that best practices will survive and be a template for other HBCU’s.
That’s a shame. HBCU institutions have been in existence for about a century now in America . A small island can pull off such an incredible investment in our children’s lives and future. Thank you UVI
Hello.
Can I ask, what about students in US Territories like the FSM, Palau, and the Marshall Islands?
It is a joke! The faculty and Dean’s are mostly White, very few Black professors teaching class. They have a black figurehead but most faculty is white. It is not a REAL HBCU!
UVI does not support their black students from the states. UVI does support the white students and they are helping to gentrify St. Thomas. I will watch the nonsense unfold.
Once lived in the VI. Worked as a social worker. I am white, but my color, to me, did not matter.
I know I was not born there, but I know many white people were. French Town people are also White, but are also true Virgin Islanders. And some of my good friends were college teachers and were once from French Town, so maybe they are now still teaching at the college. I know that they did.
You are probably on to something …..🤔