A group of former students from the Department of Economics at the University of Liberia (UL) has made a significant donation to their alma mater, providing 60 high-quality wooden chairs to the institution. The donation, which follows through on a pledge made during the 104th Commencement Convocation, is aimed at alleviating the discomfort students experience while seated during lectures.The chairs were officially handed over to the UL administration during an outdoor ceremony held in front of the College of Business and Public Administration building. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 graduates from the Economics Department, including members of the graduating class, the president of the class at the time, and current students from the Economic Students Association (ESA).
Dr. Agnes Reeves Taylor, UL’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, received the donation on behalf of UL President Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan. Dr. Taylor expressed deep gratitude for the generous contribution, calling it a positive step in the right direction. “On behalf of Dr. Maparyan and the Administration of the University, we receive this with gratitude,” she said. “We are proud of you; we want you to know that.” Dr. Taylor, visibly pleased, also shared her personal connection to the donation, noting that she too is a graduate of the Department of Economics. She expressed pride in seeing former students taking the initiative to give back in such a meaningful way.
Dr. Taylor also highlighted the importance of students embracing positive initiatives that benefit the university. “We look forward to more things from the other students,” she said, urging the student body to continue creating programs that uphold the values and reputation of the University of Liberia.Earlier in the program, Associate Prof. Sekou W. Konneh, UL’s Vice President for Student Affairs, praised the donation as an exemplary act of leadership and urged other students to follow suit. He also took the opportunity to encourage students to avoid activities that would tarnish the reputation of the institution.
Instead, he emphasized the importance of engaging in activities that would bring pride and dignity to the university, referencing the success of UL student Vashe T. Weah, who recently won the Miss Inter-University Pageantry competition.
“This was not a naked contest. This was a contest of the brain; it was intellectual,” Prof. Konneh remarked.The donation of the chairs is a testament to the continuing bond between UL and its alumni, as well as the growing trend of graduates giving back to their alma mater in ways that positively impact future generations of students.
