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