MONROVIA – About 80 prospective graduates of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Liberia have shared Joys of milestones after successful participation in a week-long merit-based standard final thesis oral defense and presentation held under the supervision of distinguished thesis committee of illustrious professors and scholars.
The academic exercise which officially started on July 18, 2024, concluded on Augudt 6, 2024, with a formal program organized by the Office of the Dean of the ACS
College to articulate achievable knowledge, objective, skills and performance. The exercise took place at the Thelma E. Duncan Sawyer Faculty Lounge in Fendall.
The Dean of the College, Associate Prof. Dr. Josephus M. Gray, who also holds ambassadorial post praised the candidates for their successful participation in the final thesis defense. ” You have proven as the best among the 200 prospective graduates of our great College and will received special recognition from the President of the University of Liberia and the Dean of Sawyer College.”
Dr. Gray reminded the candidates that at Sawyer College, there are no shortcuts to any place worth going, noting that the candidates have chosen to be extraordinary.
According to Dr. Gray, the most outstanding among the 80 candidates will be rewarded a master’s degree studies scholarship. The scholarship of ‘!cademic Excellence’ in research was awarded by the Sharda University in Knowledge Park, Greater Norda, New Delhi, India to the ACS College.
”You make the President of the university proud; you make your Dean proud; you make your Chairpersons proud; you make your families and friends proud”, Dr. Gray noted. The Dean continued: I can’t imagine how proud you must be to submit to this merit-based standard and international best practices academic exercise to show up to present and defend your research studies, while dozen of your colleagues have chosen to do otherwise.to escape this academic exercise.
Speaking further, Dr. Gray informed the audience that the final thesis oral defense and presentation reflects a recognised standard and took into consideration five main chapters, including Chapter One which discussed the backgrounds of the study, problem statement, purpose and objectives, research questions, significance of the study, limitations and delimitation, while Chapter Two discussed Literature Reviews relating to the research problem.
Chapter Three focused on the methodology, design, population and targetted population, research instruments, sample size and sampling techniques, data collection procedures and data analysis. The two last chapters – Four and Five discussed data presentation, analysis, research findings, summary, conclusions, and recommendations.
Generally, the candidates were mandated to submit not less than 30-page thesis, student project, practical research or field seminar work, signed by a research supervisor and approved by department’s chairperson.
During the defense, the candidates spoke about the key findings of their studies in front of the 7-member thesis committee chaired by Assistant Prof. Alexander O. Teaway and Co-chaired by Assistant Prof. Cllr. Mark Bedor-Wla Freeman while Prof. Dr. D. Elliott Wreh-Wilson serves as Senior Advisor.
The candidates came from the Departments English and Language Studies,4; Political Science, 8; Geography, 10; Communication and Media Studies, 5; Social Work, 17; Demography, 26; Sociology and Anthropology, 1 candidate and French Studies successfully participated in the final thesis defense with great presentation in front of the Thesis Committee, Deans, Chairpersons, Directors, audience, student and faculty members.
So far, only one candidate, a physically challenged candidates from the Department of Sociology while the rest of the students from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and History deliberately failed to participate in the academic exercise, although, it is one of the basic components and requirements contained in the curricula of the various departments and units for students at Amos C. Sawyer College to successfully earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, respectively.
Unfortunately, standard thesis writing and defense were dormant in the College for about 15 years, but as the ACS College continues to prestigiously position itself on a path of new academic trajectory under the leadership of Dr. Amb. Josephus Moses Gba-hinnih Gray, Dean of Sawyer College, thesis defense and research have been put into motion.
The Dean with support from the academic team of Sawyer College has reactivated the writing of thesis and oral defense to the level of professionalism that meets best practices and international standard.
During the final thesis oral defense, candidates were given an opportunity to present and defend their research studies before a Seven-man Academic Committee headed by Assistant Professor Alexander O. Teaway. Other members are Dr. D. Elliott Wreh-Wilson, former President of Tubman University; Prof. Dr. Nathaniel G. Gbessagee, former President of Grand Bassa Community College; Cllr. Mark Bedor-Wla Freeman, Former Chairman, Freedom of Information Commission; Rev. Leviticus O. Kollie, Instructor, Department of English; Mr. Ernest Winderburk, Instructor, Department of English and Language Studies; Assistan tProf. Abraham Fofana, Instructor, Department of Political Science, Mr. Roosevelt Tula, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Mr. P.Allison, Instructor, English and Language Studies, Mr. Paul Jerry, Instructor, Department of Sociology and.Rev. Tehpamubo Sayeh,.Instructor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.
The Dean of the College, Professor Dr. Gray served as ex-officio while the Administrative Assistant to Dr. Gray, Rev..Andrew T. Nagbe, was charged with the official responsibility to coordinate and manage the thesis defense exercise.
The thesis defense proceeded very well with support from the various departments and units, except the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Criminology. However,
about 80 faculty, staff, and students attending each session each day of the thesis defense.
“This is a huge accomplishment for the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, together..we made it. As Dean of this great College, today is historic and excited day for the Sawyer College and the University of Liberia on general.”
“It was very disappointing for students of the Department of Sociology to escape from this unique praiseworthy academic exercise, but the College achieved it objective.” Dr. Gray has Congratulated the 9 Departments that participated in this thesis defense and 80 candidates.
According to Dr. Gray, with courage and determination, Miss. Beatrice Snyder and Mr. Jeremiah Cooper, two disabled students came forward and successfully sailed through the ACS College thesis defense. While able-bodied students from two departments History and Sociology ran from this unique praiseworthy academic exercise. However, he said, the College is proud of what these two distinguished students-
physical challenged candidates Beatrice and Cooper have done inspite of their physical condition; their hard works have paid-off admirably. As Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Liberia, it is my pleasure to congratulate these two dedicated and committed prospective graduates about their successful participation in the Amos C.Sawyer College final oral thesis defense and presentation.
According to Dr. Gray, the two disabled students deserve a standing ovation from everyone for academic excellence, noting that ” We take pride in their hard earned achievements.”The thesis defense was held
under the supervision of a distinguished committee of illustrious professors and instructors.
The college’s curricula made it mandatory that candidates must adhere to thesis, practical research, student project and Capstone defense and the structures of UL approved thesis format which consists of five chapters, besides the declaration, dedication, acknowledgements, table of contents and abstract pages.
Once the research defense is officially completed, the thesis committee will deliberate privately on its outcome and will decide by majority the approval or non-approval of student’s research. The most outstanding student will be chosen by the academic panel to be awarded master’s scholarship.
As part of the ACS College curricula, it is required that all candidates submit to the academic requirement which is one of the major requirements for a successful completion for students to earn a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the institution.
The most outstanding student from the ongoing thesis defense will be offered a fully funded master’s degree scholarship for studies at Sharda University in Knowledge Park, New Delhi, India.
The thesis committee impartially, independently and objectively able to evaluate the student’s academic work to ensure that candidate know the content and topic of the research.
The exercise has uniquely been in motion for the past three years as one of the key requirements for a successful completion of studies to earn a Bachelor’sdegree and Bachelor of Social Work.
The first group of candidates to present and defend their reseach for the 104th Class came from the Social Work Unit, followed by a candidate each from the Departments of French studies and Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology. The second and third group of candidates came from the Departments of Communication and Media Studies, English and Language Studies, Political Science and Geography and Department of Demography.
Two of the candidates to have defended their research are disabled students. It was so emotional to witness the two physical challenged students in their wheelchairs in front of the thesis committee defending their research. Unfortunately, some of the able body students from the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology have refused to submit to this unique academic exercise, as a means of undermining this unique academic praiseworthy and admired exercise.
The ACS College’s approved curricula by the Faculty Senate makes it is mandatory for all prospective graduates of the College to appear in front of the thesis committee to participate in the thesis defense.
Speaking at the formal start of the exercise, the Dean of the College, Prof. Dr Gray said eventhough he is fully aware that there are plans by certain people at the institution who wanted to undermine the unique thesis defense and their corcuted and unacademic plan miserably failed.
Dr. Gray is appealing to the students of the College, particularly prospective graduates of the Amos C. Sawyer College not to allow themselves to be used to protest against the unique thesis defense but to always be on the side of good history.
According to Dr. Gray, the ACS College thesis defense is basically a quarter of an hour presentation which gives candidate an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of not only his or her own work but the field of major as a whole.
While there are some general guidelines the candidates are to strictly followed, thesis defense is based on the University of Liberia approved thesis format and guidelines.
Speaking further, Dr. Gray reminded the students that thesis presents a student’s collective understanding of his or her program and major field. He, also, stressed that thesis defense is designed so that the panel of professors can ask open-ended questions and make sure that the students actually understand the field and focus area of research. After a thorough reviewed of the candidate’s work remitted to them, members of the panel recommend changes where required for resubmission for sesubquent approval.
Encouraging the students to come forward and submit to the thesis defense, Dr. Gray reminded the candidates that every thesis focus on student’s major areas of discipline in which a student’s research certain elements, subjects, issues of his or her field. He praised those students who have defended their research, describing them as good example of academic quality.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Department of Political Science, Assistant Professor Richmond S. Anderson discussed the importance of thesis defense and encouraged the prospective graduates to defy all odds and appear before the committee for the thesis exercise. He.praised all chairpersons and coordinators for allowing their students to defend their research based on the Sawyer College college’s polices.
The Dean wondered why a Chairperson who aimed to be Dean of the College and President of UL wanted to undermine the praiseworthy thesis defense exercise stopping his students from participating in the praiseworthy academic exercise.
Dr. Gray: Everything is done and sealed!
