CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is pleased to announce that it has received a $30,000 gift from Thriving Charities Advocates (TCA), a professional fundraising organization and Economic Development Commission beneficiary on St. Thomas.
The gift will be used to support the University’s music program, specifically to enhance the recording capabilities of UVI’s recording studio.
“Thanks to the ongoing generosity of Thriving Charities Advocates, we have made steady progress as we build the recording studio in different phases,” Dion Parson, UVI chair of the Communication and Performing Arts Department, said. “We have been able to purchase mics, cables, and software thus far and our next step is to buy soundproofing materials. The overall purpose of the recording studio is to make it a performance space that we can use as a teaching classroom and a recording space where we can create quality recordings.”
Designed to engage students deeply with music and the arts, UVI’s music program prepares graduates to teach in the K-12 education system, with specializations available in piano, voice, steel pan, percussion, and various woodwind or brass instruments. In addition to offering a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, UVI also offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance, and a Music Industry Certificate to provide students with training to become audio engineers and successful entrepreneurs in the music business. Acclaimed jazz musician Dion Parson directs the program, bringing his expertise and vision to ensure students are exposed to a broad spectrum of musical knowledge.
At the check presentation ceremony, UVI Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. Kimarie Engerman, thanked TCA representatives noting their ongoing support allowed students to attend the Music Educators National Convention last December. “We are indeed putting the funds to good use and it’s making a difference. We truly appreciate it,” she said.
In addition to donating to UVI, Thriving Charities Advocates, which has deep ties to the music entertainment industry, has also supported Partners for Strings Inc., which runs a free after-school youth orchestra program for children aged six to 17 on St. Thomas and St. Croix. TCA serves as a boutique brokerage of opportunities to connect artists, tours, and live events with nonprofit organizations.
“We are honored to offer this gift to support the growth and creativity of students in UVI’s Music Program. It is our goal to make music accessible to young people and to help them enhance their skills,” said Lauryl Knowles, director of Operations and Compliance at TCA. “We are deeply impressed with the quality of UVI’s music program, its visionary approach, and the positive impact it is having on our community.”
Knowles and Kristine Galgay, TCA contract specialist presented the check in September 2024, in UVI’s Music Building on the Orville E. Kean Campus on St. Thomas.
To learn more about UVI’s Music Program, visit www.uvi.edu.