-Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan urges UL graduates
By Vaye A. Lepolu
The University of Liberia held the second day of its 104th Commencement Convocation on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, conferring undergraduate degrees to 878 graduates across various disciplines. The graduates hailed from the William R. Tolbert College of Agriculture & Forestry, the Thomas J.R. Faulkner College of Science, the College of Engineering, and the David A. Straz-Sinje Vocational and Technical College.
The breakdown of the graduates includes 417 from the Thomas J. R. Faulkner College of Science, Technology, Environment, and Climate Change; 292 from the William R. Tolbert, Jr. College of Agriculture and Forestry; 137 from the College of Engineering; and 32 from the David A. Straz-Sinje Technical and Vocational College, totaling 878 graduates who will receive their diplomas in the coming days.
The week-long graduation festivities began on Monday, featuring 330 graduates from the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, William V.S. Tubman College of Education, and the College of Gender Studies and Interdisciplinary Research.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, a Liberian Medical Doctor and Bio-medical Research Scientist who leads the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), delivered the keynote address. In his speech, Dr. Nyan urged graduates to harness the power of science for innovation rather than exploitation.
He emphasized the importance of using their knowledge in Agriculture and Forestry to nourish the population and applying their engineering skills to construct safe and durable infrastructure. “The Liberia we seek and discuss daily is only possible when you use your education for the good of the people and not to exploit them,” Dr. Nyan stated. “So, when you leave here, become critical thinkers, become problem-solvers. Provide solutions to our complex problems, be the change maker that Liberia desperately needs.”
Dr. Nyan, a former student advocate for democracy, stressed that addressing Liberia’s challenges requires deep and critical thinking. He noted, “Addressing our country’s problems requires us to think critically; to think deeper, and that is why the College of Science and Technology, the College of Agriculture, Sinje College, Engineering College, and all other colleges within the walls of the university are teaching you.”
He described the graduates as the future of Liberia while calling on them to cultivate integrity and honesty in their professional lives. Acknowledging that knowledge is a powerful tool, Dr. Nyan cautioned that it can be both humanizing and demonizing. He stated that the degrees earned by the graduates are not merely a testament to their hard work but also a call to national service and a responsibility to enhance societal well-being.
“I’m letting you know some of these things so that you don’t repeat some of the past and present generational mistakes,” Dr. Nyan continued, lamenting that Liberia has endured prolonged suffering and is still facing numerous challenges. “Yes, we have fought colonialism, we have fought the exploitation of multi-national companies in our country and on the continent; we have fought human rights abuses. What is intriguing is how we can fight the blame game,” he remarked.
Dr. Nyan emphasized that the true measure of the graduates’ success will not be solely based on their professional accomplishments but also on their ethical conduct and integrity. “Liberia is hungrily in need of professionals guided by ethics, compassion, and commitment to do good,” he concluded.
Reflecting on his own journey, Dr. Nyan recalled being expelled from the Science College under Liberia’s military government, which prevented him from earning his degree. He shared his experiences of arrest, imprisonment, and exile but affirmed his connection to the university, reminiscing about his time in the labs and the camaraderie shared with fellow students.
In his remarks, Acting UL President Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh expressed pride in the achievements of the 878 graduates. He announced the launch of an Integrated Opportunities Deployment Exercise (IODS) aimed at connecting graduates with national and international opportunities in their respective fields. “Following this Convocation, we will put in place a plan to recommend them for absorption in the national, regional (especially ECOWAS), and international markets,” he disclosed.
Dr. Conteh extended gratitude to parents, sponsors, guardians, and family members for their unwavering support throughout the students’ educational journeys. He encouraged the graduates to become the professionals that Liberia needs, stating, “To all candidates for degrees today, as you are conferred and hooded today, I urge you to go and be the agriculturists that Liberia needs, be the scientists that Liberia needs, be the engineers that Liberia needs, and be those skillful scientists that can combine your hands and mind to make the difference in our one World.”
He also expressed appreciation to keynote speaker Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan and recognized Professor Wole Soboyejo, a distinguished scientist and current President of the State University of New York Polytechnic, for attending the ceremony.
