For Ervin Dorsett, Jr., this motto is a way of life. He is among the first students to graduate from the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) online degree program. After starting his college studies in Florida in 1999, transfering to UVI’s St. Thomas campus in 2002, then stopping and returning to UVI many years later, today he has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. He achieved his degree through UVI\u2019s online program. The fully online division of the University of the Virgin Islands began offering web-based classes in 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI needed the right environment to help me advance my studies and still work a full-time job with a frequently changing schedule,\u201d said Dorsett, who works at the V.I. Water and Power Authority (WAPA). \u201cSo when I enrolled at UVI again, I opted for UVI Online. The online program turned out to be the ideal fit for me. It gave me the freedom to take classes around my schedule and it was very affordable compared to other online programs,\u201d he said, noting he paid for all his classes out of pocket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although he took all of his classes online, Dorsett said he felt very much\na part of the UVI community. \u201cMy professors actually gave me their cell phone numbers\nand my two advisors, David Wuinee and Denise Lake, were especially responsive, calling\nme on a weekly basis to check in.\u201d He said he always received valuable,\npersonalized feedback on assignments from his professors and never felt like\njust a number. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the other advantages of the online program for Dorsett was that he could apply what he was learning online in real time on the job. \u201cAs I grew in my knowledge at school, I was actually able to grow on the job as well,\u201d he recalled. Because of his education at UVI, Dorsett was promoted to Supervisor of the Systems Operation Center at WAPA. \u201cAttending UVI Online has definitely been a professional and educational game changer in my life,\u201d he acknowledged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dorsett exclaims that his experience with UVI Online has been so positive, he is now taking a Certified Public Manager (CPM) course online and will graduate in September. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking to the future, Dorsett has already enrolled in UVI\u2019s Master\u2019s in\nLeadership program to begin online this fall. Once he earns a master\u2019s degree,\nhis goal is to become a manager at WAPA and he would also like to teach at UVI\nOnline part-time as a way of paying forward all that he has gained from the\nuniversity. Ultimately, Dorsett has his goals set on getting a doctorate from\nUVI Online. He said he was very inspired to see some of his professors who had master\u2019s degrees earn\ntheir doctorate\u2019s while teaching online. \u201cThat is a testament to the\nenvironment that UVI Online created where everyone, including professors, was\ngrowing and learning and becoming better professionals and people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a\npersonal level, Dorsett is grateful to UVI for more than a high-quality\neducation and the career growth opportunities it helped create for him. Dorsett\nappreciates the interaction with other students from diverse backgrounds which\nhas given him fresh perspectives and novel ways of looking at things. Most\nimportantly, Dorsett met his wife of 15 years, Gail Samuel-Dorsett, while\ntaking a summer class on campus. \u201cMy family is my life,\u201d he said proudly. He has\ntwo sons, Khaaliq Henry and Ervin Dorsett III. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the\nin-person graduation ceremony was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dorsett\nplans to walk across the stage in December as a tribute to his family, his professors,\nadvisors and everyone who supported him over the years. He said, \u201cI absolutely\ncould not have achieved this without my faith in God and without the support of\nmy parents who always encouraged me to do my best.\u201d Reflecting on his experiences,\nDorsett said, \u201cUVI has truly been an integral part of my life story on a\ndevelopmental, educational, professional and personal level.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n