By Taisiah K. Merfee
The University of Liberia (UL) on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 began a three-day celebration in observance of the day of its founding on 15 February 1951, otherwise known as ‘UL Founder’s Day.’
The 72nd UL Founder’s Day celebration began with the issuance of a statement by the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Julius Nelson, Jr., on the Capitol Hill campus, highlighting the successes and challenges the institution has had.
The 72nd Founder’s Day is being celebrated under the theme: “𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝐷𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦, 𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎.”
A small musical concert led by UL Chorus in the evening on Wednesday, an intellectual discourse on UL Capitol Hill campus on Thursday, and a parade and sporting activities on Friday at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville are part of the three-day celebration.
Delivering an official statement Wednesday, Prof. Dr. Nelson, said an Intellectual Discourse will be held Thursday on the UL Capitol Hill campus as part of the celebration.
Dr. Nelson said the focus is on governance, democracy, peace and stability as the underpinnings of and important (pre)conditions for sustainable growth and development as Liberians gear towards the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
“The discourse will cut across the diplomatic corps, the education sector, civil society organizations, democracy-strengthening institutions, youth organizations, etc,” said President Nelson.
He noted that the University is focused primarily on restoring integrity and civility, Faculty and staff development, and curricular transformation & restoration of the libraries and laboratories.
The UL President continued that the University is also focused on developing an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure including digitization of student records; and development of the 5,800 acres land for a state-of-the-art University Smart City.
He also cited resource mobilization and income generation for the University of Liberia through LUX Investment Corporation; and the establishment of an external institutional collaborations as a means of complementing the Government of Liberia’s support for academic programs development and infrastructural development.
On Friday, February 17, 2023, at 9: 00 am, he said a parade will commence outside the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville ahead of the all-day Sports events.
Dr. Nelson extended gratitude to Dr. George Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia and Visitor of the University of Liberia, for the tremendous and continuous support to the University, in the midst of competing national challenges.
He further expressed sincere gratitude to the Chairman and Members of the UL Board of Trustees for efficiently and successfully working along with the UL Administration in the governance of the Flagship University.
“Let me also thank our administrators, the Leadership and Members of our faculty, staff and students organizations/associations for their cooperation, collaboration and partnership as we steer the affairs of the University,” President Nelson added.
He explained that the University of Liberia, formerly Liberia College, was chartered and established by an Act of Legislature of the Republic of Liberia on February 15, 1951.
He said the purpose was to prepare the nation’s well qualified men and women for teaching and research, for public and private service, to contribute to Liberia’s sustainable growth and human resource development.
He indicated that since it was established in 1951, fifteen (15) persons have served as president of the University of Liberia, among them, two Americans, Dr. J. Max Bond (1951-1954) and Dr. Kermit C. King (1955-1958).
Two of the presidents were females (Dr. Mary Antoinette Brown-Sherman (1978-1984) and Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks (2017-2019).
