Blog – University Consortium for Liberia

UCL announces the launch of The Dr. Layli Maparyan Ph.D. Scholarship Fund

May 11, 2025

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The Dr. Layli Maparyan Ph.D. Scholarship Fund is being launched to support deserving Liberian Ph.D. students to pursue their terminal academic degrees. This scholarship favors academic fields that support Liberian national development and/or advances in the frontiers of knowledge and is for students enrolled at accredited universities.

Current Ph.D. students wishing to apply should submit a one-page statement that includes their name, where they are from in Liberia, the name of their institution, their department, their field of study, and their intended or actual dissertation topic. The statement should also mention their status in their program (e.g., pre-proposal, post-qualifiers, proposal writing stage, data collection phase, ABD, etc.) and how long they have been in the program. Relevance of their topic to Liberian national development or to expanding the frontiers of knowledge should also be well-justified, and their future career goal should be mentioned. Students should state concisely and specifically which item in the list below they are seeking funding for and the anticipated cost (supporting evidence is welcome). Last but not least, a brief letter of support from the student’s major advisor should be attached.

Scholarship funds can be used for the following categories of expenses: 1) tuition and fees; 2) books and other published materials (including access to research-related online resources); 3) research materials and supplies; 4) laptop computers or other tech equipment necessary for the research project; 5) research-related travel; 6) expenses related to attending conferences at which the student is presenting her or his own research; 7) publication fees related to the publication of the student’s scholarly work in a reputable journal or dissertation publication; 8) graduation fees, including academic regalia purchase (not rental). If an award is made, receipts should be provided expeditiously.

Support the Dr. Layli Maparyan Ph.D. Scholarship Fund

The Dr. Layli Maparyan Ph.D. Scholarship Fund has been established to support deserving Liberian students in their pursuit of doctoral degrees. This scholarship prioritizes academic fields that contribute to Liberia’s national development or push the boundaries of knowledge. It is available to students enrolled in accredited universities.

DONATION CATEGORIES:
We invite you to contribute at a level that aligns with your capacity and commitment. There are eight giving tiers available—each designed to accommodate a wide range of supporters. Explore the options below to find the one that’s right for you.

$5,000 TUITION ANGEL – Will support tuition and fees for a dedicated Ph.D. scholar.
$2,500 TECH TITAN – Will support the purchase of a high-quality laptop for one Ph.D. student or other specialized equipment needed to complete the dissertation.
$1,500 RESEARCH PARTNER – Will defray research and data collection expenses, including essential research-related travel, for a Ph.D. scholar.
$750 REGALIA RELIEF – Will allow a graduating Ph.D. scholar to purchase (not rent) the academic regalia (cap, gown, & hood) they will need for the rest of their academic careers.
$500 CONFERENCE CHAMP – Will support research-related conference travel for the presentation of research findings at an academic conference.
$200 RESUME BUILDER – Will support conference registration fees for an academic conference in which a Ph.D. student is presenting an academic paper.
$100 LIBRARY BUILDER – Will support essential scholarly resources for one Ph.D. student’s dissertation literature review.
$25 BOOK BUDDY – Will purchase an essential research-related book for a Ph.D. student.

Dr. Layli Maparyan, UCL Co-Founder, Appointed 16th President of the University of Liberia

January 17, 2025

by Chris Barrieres

in Announcements, Blog, Newsletter, Top News

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For Immediate Release
January 14,2025

For more information, please contact Hon. Cynthia L. Blandford

at +1 678-612-2192 or cblandford@UCLiberia.com

UCL Co-Founder and Board Member Appointed as the 16th President of the University of Liberia

As President and Co-Founder of the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL), I am delighted to announce that the UCL Co-Founder and Board Member Dr. Layli Maparyan, wasappointed the 16th President of the University of Liberia (UL) on Friday, January 10, 2025,at the Fendall Campus, Louisiana, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia. On thissame occasion, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic ofLiberia, received the Doctor of Laws Degree (Honoris Causa).

I was honored to witness the inauguration of my friend and colleague Dr. Layli Maparyan, along with distinguishedGovernment of Liberia Officials and UL Board of Trustees including Hon. Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Minister of Education,Hon. Augustine K. Ngafuan, Minister of Finance & Development Planning, Hon. Senator Numene T.H. Bartekwa, UL BoardChair, and other UL Trustees, former Presidents of UL, students, faculty, faculty senate, alumni, staff, administrators, other University Presidents, and guests, who shared in this auspicious occasion. Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, PhD., former UL Acting President and 12th UL President, also gave his farewell address after passing the baton to the new President.

Dr. Maparyan’s inaugural address was inspiring and uplifting as she outlined her values as the incoming President of UL, with the “Five Es” to include Education, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Excellence, and Ethics. As the UCL President, I have personally witnessed these qualities in Dr. Maparyan firsthand and know that she will be an outstanding leader. As an alumna of UL (1975), I look forward to working with her to help bring UL up to international standards.

His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia and Visitor ofthe University of Liberia, appointed Dr. Layli Maparyan as the 16th President of the University of Liberia, founded in 1951, formerly Liberia College founded in 1862. This historic appointment follows the approval of the University’s Board of Trustees inaccordance with the University of Liberia’s Charter.

In his letter of appointment, President Boakai expressed confidence in Dr. Maparyan’s ability, integrity, and extensive experience, emphasizing his trust that she would demonstrate these qualities in service to the University and the nation. Her selection followed a rigorous search process conducted by the University of Liberia Board of Trustees’ Search Committee, which identified her as a leading candidate for the position, so stated the Press Release from the Executive Mansion.

Dr. Maparyan holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University and an M.S. in Psychology from Penn State University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Philosophy (cum laude) from Spelman College. She has a distinguished academic career, having served as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor at Georgia StateUniversity’s Women’s Studies Institute and Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia’s Department of Psychology and Institute for African American Studies.

Dr. Maparyan was the first post-war Fulbright Specialist at the University of Liberia in 2010. She has also been recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Citizen Award for Service to the Liberian Community (2009). Dr. Maparyan, who is married to a Liberian, will officially assume her duties as President on January 10, 2025, the day of her induction.

In December 2024, the UCL Board approved two new board members including Mr. Jerome Barnard, and Adem Sonii. Jerome received a Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) from A. Romeo Horton College of Business & Public Administration, University of Liberia in 2017, a Master of Public Administration (MPA), McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, California in 2024, and he is currently a PhD Candidate of Global Health Ethics, Duquesne University of the Catholic Holy Spirit, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jerome was also a recipient of the UCL scholarship program. Adem Sonii, of Atlanta, Georgia, received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology University of West Georgia and an MBA in Business Management from the University ofGeorgia in 2024. Adem was also instrumental in providing leadership to the UCL’s scholarship fundraising dinner and activities. We welcome these two outstanding young Liberians who will continue to make great contributions to theUCL.

UCL is dedicated to coordinating diverse academic efforts between Liberia and the global community. Since 2009,UCL has collaborated with students, university faculty, and other academic professionals to increase learning in Liberia and the United States. Honorable Blandford and Dr. Maparyan were instrumental in securing a :5 million, 5-year USAID grant to establish a Center of Excellence for Forestry, Biodiversity, and Conservation Leadershipand Green Enterprise Development (the FBC Center) at the University of Liberia Fendell Campus. Collaborating partners include the University of Georgia (UGA; lead institution), the University of Liberia (UL), the Forestry Training Institute (FTI), Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University (AAMU), Tuskegee University (TU), theWellesley Centers for Women (WCW) at Wellesley College, the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL) in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Resilient Africa Network (RAN) in Uganda.

For more information on the UCL, please visit our website at www.UCLiberia.com.

Photo Credits: Matthew Jacobs

Historic Appointment: Dr. Layli Maparyan Named President of the University of Liberia

January 8, 2025

by Chris Barrieres

in Blog, Featured, Top News

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Press Release

President Boakai Appoints Dr. Layli Maparyan as President of the University of Liberia

January 4, 2025

Executive Mansion, Monrovia: His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia and Visitor to the University of Liberia, has appointed Dr. Layli Maparyan as the 16th President of the University of Liberia. This historic appointment follows the approval of the University’s Board of Trustees in accordance with the University of Liberia’s Charter.

Dr. Maparyan, a distinguished academic and prolific scholar, is currently the Executive Director of the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) and a Professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA. Her selection followed a rigorous search process conducted by the University of Liberia Board of Trustees’ Search Committee, which identified her as a leading candidate for the position.

Dr. Maparyan holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University and an M.S. in Psychology from Penn State University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Philosophy (cum laude) from Spelman College. She has a distinguished academic career, having served as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor at Georgia State University’s Women’s Studies Institute and Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia’s Department of Psychology and Institute for African American Studies.

Her ties to Liberia date back to her tenure as a Fulbright Specialist at the University of Liberia in 2010. She has also been recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Citizen Award for Service to the Liberian Community (2009) and theFulbright Specialist Program Award.

In accordance with Article IV, Section 1 of the University’s Charter, President Boakai nominated Dr. Maparyan for the role on December 18, 2024. The Board of Trustees subsequently convened on December 23, 2024, and unanimously approved her nomination. Dr. Maparyan, who is married to a Liberian, will officially assume her duties as President on January 10, 2025, the day of her induction.

The University of Liberia and the nation at large welcome Dr. Maparyan’s leadership and look forward to her contributions to advancing higher education and fostering academic excellence in Liberia.

Signed:

Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana

Presidential Press Secretary

——————-

For Media Inquiries, Contact: Office of the Presidential Press Secretary | Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs,

Executive Mansion, 2nd Floor, Monrovia Liberia | Email: info.ppresssecretarylib@gmail.com | Phone: +231-881-006008 (WhatsApp) |www.emansion.gov.lr

International Focus (iF) Magazine Atlanta Press Release

January 26, 2022

by Chris Barrieres

in Blog

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We are pleased to announce the launch of the Inaugural Edition of the International Focus (iF) Magazine Atlanta. The major benefit of this new print magazine is its global focus on the Diplomatic Corp & Trade Offices, International Businesses and NGOs. For more information, please contact Cynthia L. Blandford, Publisher & CFO International Focus (iF) Magazine (Atlanta)

PRESS RELEASE:

A DIPLOMAT AND NOW PUBLISHER LAUNCHES NEW INTERNATIONAL FOCUS MAGAZINE IN ATL

The International Focus (iF) Magazine will be celebrating the rollout of the magazine in Atlanta, Georgia, with a reception in early February 2022 as a new voice working to help increase Atlanta’s visibility as a true global city with international reach and promise. The private event will be held at the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MAC) by invitation only.

“I would not have imagined that the COVID-19 virus would have allowed the sprouting of innovative ideas, unexpected friendships and new business ventures that seemed unimaginable in light of a pandemic that wreaked havoc all over the world.” As God would have it, it did, stated Cynthia L. Blandford, the new Publisher, and CFO of the International Focus (iF) Magazine in Atlanta, Georgia. iF Magazine was born out of Houston, Texas in 2016, under the visionary leadership of Mr. Val Thompson, CEO and Publisher and expanded into the Atlanta market in January of this year.

Blandford notes that in April 2021, Mr. Val Thompson called to request an interview to write about her journey to become the first African-American female Honorary Consul in Liberia’s 175-year history. He flew to Atlanta, Georgia, with a photographer and she notes with pleasure that “it was an honor to be placed on the front cover of the June-July 2021 iF Magazine and to share a first blush of my memoires.”

Publisher Blandford stated that “I was impressed with Val’s understanding of the power of diplomacy and that of the Diplomatic Corps, and we both understood how powerful cities like Atlanta could help promote international trade and development and become a center for global commerce at a much higher-level.” As Honorary Consul Blandford found herself in parallel with his vision to highlight the work and stories of the international community and that of her peers in the Diplomatic Corps, in late 2021, accepted Thompson’s offer to be the Publisher and CFO of iF in Atlanta.

So, as it seems, Blandford is now a Publisher and a Diplomat, and she looks forward to interviewing members of the Atlanta Diplomatic Corp, international businesses, and partners where information and insights can be shared. “We are all about promoting the great City of Atlanta where the City of Atlanta is also home to more than 70 consular and trade offices, 40 bi-national chambers of commerce and more than 2,700 international businesses and where we also have the most efficient and busiest airport in the world with ATL!”

iF Magazines Publisher and CEO Mr. Val Thompson, located in Houston, Texas, had his sights on Atlanta a few years ago as a part of iF’s expansion strategy into new markets as Atlanta was quickly being recognized as a go-to destination.

Blandford recognized that the iF operational structure provided an opportunity to have a digital magazine that has over 40,000 in their network reach, not including their social media friends and family. Blandford was also pleased with the fact that iF publishes professionally bound hard copies of the magazine that is distributed to strategic distribution sites throughout Houston. With a view towards Atlanta, Publisher Blandford also looks forward to sharing the iF Magazine hard copies with the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s

Office, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta Air Lines, Chambers of Commerce, international businesses and of course, to members of the Atlanta Diplomatic Corps. Blandford noted that “iF Magazine has a special niche that no other international magazine currently has in Atlanta and that is a beautifully printed international magazine that is published by a diplomat.” She and Val both believe that “print is here to stay”!

For more information on iF Magazine, please go to www.ifmagazine.net for the latest edition of both the Houston and Atlanta Magazine. If you are interested in advertising with iF Atlanta, please also contact the Publisher at 678-612-2192 for a Media Kit Atlanta or email her at cblandford@ifmagazine.net.

HOUSTON-ATLANTA TRADE MISSION TO MONROVIA LIBERIA – APRIL 21-29, 2022

November 21, 2021

by Chris Barrieres

in Blog

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Liberia is open for business with great opportunities for investments. Join us on this 8-day & 7-night Trade Mission to Monrovia, Liberia.

About this event

HOUSTON-ATLANTA TRADE MISSION TO MONROVIA LIBERIA – APRIL 21-29, 2022

8-days and 7-nights

As the continent of Africa’s first Republic, and the United States most loyal ally, Liberia is poised to become the jewel of West Africa. Liberia is open for business with tremendous opportunities for investments. Self-sufficiency in food production is essential to Liberia’s economy. Agriculture continues to be the dominant sector in the Liberian economy. Liberia’s natural resources offer significant opportunities for investors. The Liberian’s have strong desires for U.S.-made products including food, construction, healthcare, housing, textiles and energy.