Monrovia – The University of Liberia Alumni Chorus (ULAC), as part of efforts to promote academic excellence, has awarded scholarship to 13 ‘excellent’ students of the University of Liberia.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The students, four females and nine males, were given their full tuition and financial package for second semester 2017/2018 by Representatives of ULAC on Tuesday, July 10 in the conference room of the University of Liberia’s Administration Building on Capitol Hill.
Giving remarks at the presentation ceremony, ULAC Representative in Liberia, Mrs. Rhonda Richards vonBallmoos said the scholarship is open to all students of the University of Liberia once they meet the necessary requirements.
To benefit, Mrs. Richards vonBallmoos said a student must obtain the grade point average (GPA) of 3.000 and above from at least 12 credits and should be in school actively among others.
She said ULAC members usually hold concerts to raise funds for the scholarship program; adding that out of the 13 students that benefited last semester, nine successfully retained the scholarship while four dropped because they did not meet the requirements.
She also said that students will continue to benefit if they meet all the requirements.
“We will continue to pay until you graduate once you are meeting up with the requirements. The amount of US$500.00 is given to each student annually, but it’s US$250.00 per semester. We pay the tuition and the balance goes to the student.
“There were many applications that came to us for this scholarship, but we can only give it to few and we are happy to announce that you are among them. We hope that this scholarship will enable you concentrate on your studies without thinking about the finances,” she averred.
Also speaking, another member of ULAC, Mildred B. Reeves urged beneficiaries of the scholarship to continue their ‘excellent’ performance and advised them not to engage in other forms of bad practices in school.
In her recollections, Mrs. Reeves hailed the University of Liberia for the ‘solid foundation’ they acquired that is now enabling them to contribute meaningfully to society.
She recounted that they started with US$10,000.00, but was diminished last semester after providing lots of scholarships through the holding of concerts and donations from their sponsors; adding “We are starting again with another US$10,000.00.”
For his part, the Vice President for University of Liberia Relations, Attorney Norris Tweah commended ULAC for awarding scholarship to deserving students and urged them to continue identifying with the students in such manner.
According to him, the University of Liberia is the cheapest in the country, but bulk of the students cannot afford to pay their fees due to financial difficulties.
“This semester 19,323 students billed to enrolled to the university, but only 9, 949 students paid or completed their registration while 49% who were billed are yet to pay. We are happy for this intervention. This is commendable,” he said.
He also thanked the students for making the right grades which afforded them the scholarship.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, student Comfort George commended ULAC for such intervention in the midst of ‘serious’ financial difficulties facing the country.
She promised that they will do all of what it takes to remain on scholarship.