Dr. Dietra Trent, executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will be the keynote speaker at the University of the Virgin Islands’ 62nd Charter Day program, an annual event that celebrates the school’s founding and recognizes its achievements.
The event will take place on Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m. in the LaVerne E. Ragster Administration and Conference Center, in the first-floor conference room, on the Orville E. Kean Campus on St. Thomas and streamed to the Great Hall on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix, the university announced in a press release.
Trent leads a government-wide policymaking effort to eliminate barriers HBCUs face in providing the highest-quality education to a growing number of students, according to the release. Her experience includes more than 25 years working to advance equity for Virginia’s most disadvantaged populations.
“We are honored to have Dr. Dietra Trent join us as the keynote speaker for our Charter Day celebration, an event that not only looks back at the amazing achievements of this institution but also looks forward to the opportunities ahead,” said UVI President David Hall.
“I am overjoyed to have Dr. Trent, one of the foremost authorities on HBCUs, share her knowledge, experience and perspectives with our students as well as preview the many opportunities the White House Initiative on HBCUs makes available to UVI students. We strive to provide opportunities for our students to excel well beyond the foundations we have laid and give them opportunities to be leaders to help shape the world around them,” said Hall.
This year’s Charter Day program promises to be a memorable occasion, with Trent’s keynote address highlighting the importance of HBCUs in shaping the future of education, the release stated.
UVI’s Director of Music Dion Parson, accompanied by jazz trombonist and pioneer of seashells as instruments, Steve Turre, will be among the artists that will provide entertainment. Following the program, participants are invited to an ice cream social, with other light refreshments and music just outside the ACC Building and the Great Hall on the Sheen Campus.
For more information about the University of the Virgin Islands Charter Day program, visit https://www.uvi.edu/calendar/index.htm or https://events.uvi.edu.
