Monrovia – The University of Liberia is at the moment playing host to a three-person delegation from the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia (TDEL).
Two of the three-person delegation — Charles L. Newhall and Claire S. Cabot, who also travelled along with Mr. Sam Cabot, husband of Claire, are in the country as guests of the university.
According to Newhall, who did most of the speaking in behalf of the TDEL delegation, they are in the country to carry out the same mission that TDEL was setup to do nearly 150 years in 1850.
“And this is to support higher education in Liberia by Liberians, of Liberians and for Liberians. So, our goal is not to come here and teach you. Our goal here is to help empower you to teach yourselves,” Newhall stressed.
According to Newhall, who is a Historian, in addition to the above, they were primarily in the country to see what needs are there at the UL that they can be of help to support.
He stated that their principal support over the last 150 years has really been the donation of books to the university’s library; adding: “So, we are very excited and thrill by all the librarians that we have seen over the course of our visit.”
Newhall further stated that as a part of their visit, they are going to see how they can help bring the UL library up to speed with the 21st Century digitally. He praised the UL for already having some digital capacity.
Also speaking, Mrs. Claire S. Cabot touched on a scholarship program that TDEL recently inaugurated to help deserving UL students acquire higher education.
Mrs. Cabot spoke of how excited they were to meet with some of their scholarship students including Bill Diggs and George Sharpe, whom she described as “very bright.” The scholarship on which the seven UL students are on is named in honor of a member of TDEL, Mr. Rodney Armstrong. Under this scholarship, scholars are required to score a 3.5 grade point average (GPA). It is a full scholarship.
Mrs. Cabot, who had lived in Liberia in the late 1960s and early 1970s, expressed her joy that most of those entering the UL were now teenagers as the same age group of American children.
As for Sam Cabot, who is accompanying his wife on the trip, is his first time to Liberia.
Being a board member of a university in Honduras, Cabot says he sees many similarities between Liberia and that country.
“On this visit one of the efforts I have tried to make is to start to create connections between people at the University of Liberia and the university where I am on the board in Honduras.
He disclosed that the university in Honduras has coped with a lot of challenges same as the UL and have been able to make some gains.
He hoped that in the coming months, both universities would come up with some programs where there can be exchange of faculties for learning experiences.
About the TDEL
The Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia is a private foundation established in 1850 in Boston, to promote higher education in Liberia.
Since 1850, the Trustees of Donations has consistently provided support to the University of Liberia with funds primarily from an endowment established at that time, as well as from private donations over the years. These funds have been used by the University to construct classrooms, pay salaries, and purchase needed supplies, equipment, library books and textbooks. The Trustees work closely with University officials to identify areas of need and to coordinate its assistance with that of other donors.
Initial assistance from TDEL was used to construct the first building for Liberia College in 1862. Liberia College quickly became the leading educational institution in the country.