Capitol Hill, Monrovia — September 9, 2025 | Twelve Liberian students and University of Liberia (UL) faculty have been awarded full fellowships to pursue Georgia Institute of Science and Technology’s renowned Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS), marking the first Liberian cohort in the program’s history.
On Tuesday, 11 of the fellows met with UL President Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan on Capitol Hill to share their motivations and aspirations.
During the meeting, each fellow described what inspired them to apply for the program, which is ranked by Forbes as the world’s top online master’s in computer science. The program aims to expand access to advanced technology education in Liberia.
Mr. Josephus T.C. Nyumalin, a faculty member in UL’s Department of Economics, said his passion for technology and data science drove him to apply. “Incorporating technology into my teaching will enhance productivity and make my career more tech-savvy,” noted Mr. Nyumalin, who already holds master’s degrees in quantitative economics from California State University and statistics from American University in Washington, D.C.
Another fellow, Mr. Alieu Farhat, a part-time faculty member in Information Technology at UL, said the program is exceptional, crediting his department chair for introducing him to it.
“I fell in love with the course outline,” Farhat said. “It’s … a real opportunity.”
President Maparyan praised the fellows and emphasized the significance of the opportunity. “It’s a great program and Georgia Tech is a great school,” she said, recalling her visit to the university’s new engineering building.
She also credited Ms. Cynthia Blandford, president and CEO of the University Consortium of Liberia (UCL), for helping secure the partnership, while underscoring UL’s decades-long ties with Georgia Tech.
The initiative grew out of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s 2023 visit to Atlanta, during which Georgia Tech formally launched the OMSCS scholarship program for Liberia.
The 2025 Liberian OMSCS cohort includes:
Harris Barwu
Clarence Carlwolo
Viola Cheeseman
Alieu Farhat
Varney Jarteh
Fredrick Juah
Abubakar Keita
Yougie Kessellie
Josephus Nyumalin
Melvin Soclo
Michael Umunna
Martin Wallace
