Liberia: Cuttington University Alumni Ass’n Launches US$100K Endowment Fund
— As association installs new core of officers, Aug. 5
Cuttington University’s Alumni Association (CUAA) will launch a US$100K endowment fund on August 5 during the installation of new officers at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
The Cuttington University Alumni Endowment Fund will support academic scholarships in science and technology; education, agriculture, and nursing; strengthen faculty capacity in research and teaching; and build modern housing to attract more students on the Suakoko Campus.
The new leadership headed by Mardea White Simmons (class of 1987) as President includes Omilford Saye Nyah Jr. (Class of 2008), Vice President; Vivien Charles Jones, (class of 1983), Treasurer; Nathaniel D. Leesolee, (class of 2010), Secretary General; Thomas Momo, (2008), Financial Secretary; and Princess K. Jones, (class of 2008), Chaplain.
Simmons replaces S. Tonorlah Varpilah (class of 1984), who served the association for four years. The officers will serve a three-year term.
CUAA has already raised US$30K for the fund, thanks to a US$20K donation from Sidie Tunis, a Cuttington graduate who now serves as speaker of the ECOWAS parliament. The alumni association donated an additional US$10,000. The organization hopes to raise US$50,000 at Saturday’s program.
The alumni association has opened an endowment account at SIB Liberia Limited.
“I am urging all Cuttingtonians at home and abroad to help us uplift our alma mater, so we can support the generations that came after us,” Simmons said. “I just want to say a big thank you to Honorable Tunis for getting us started. It is my hope that other alumni members will support this worthy cause.”
Simmons added her team will work with CU’s President, Dr. Romelle Horton, and the administration to prioritize projects at the Suakoko campus, the junior college in Kakata, Margibi County, and the graduate school in Monrovia.
She said she will reach out to graduates of the junior college and graduate school to get them involved in the alumni association.
The goal is to get all Cuttingtonians involved in rebuilding the university.
“Cuttington has had a lot of challenges, largely because of the war,” White Simmons said. “We can help address some of those challenges by working with the administration to prioritize projects to boost academic standards and attract more students to the Suakoko campus.”