MONROVIA – A high-level delegation from the Amos C. Sawyer Educational Foundation and the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities on Monday, May 26, 2025, paid an official visit to the University of Liberia (UL), engaging in talks with the institution’s President, Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan.
The delegation, led by Thelma E. Duncan Sawyer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Amos C. Sawyer Educational Foundation, included Dr. Josephus Gray, Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities. The visit was part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to improving educational standards at the University and honoring the legacy of the late Professor Amos C. Sawyer.
Professor Sawyer, a former Interim President of Liberia and respected academic, served for decades as a teacher and advocate for civic engagement and educational reform. He believed in education as a fundamental tool for social transformation, particularly in addressing the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment in Liberia. His philosophy emphasized the role of critical thinking and intellectual rigor in shaping solutions to the nation’s most pressing challenges.
In line with these ideals, the Amos C. Sawyer Educational Foundation was established by Mrs. Sawyer, their children, Sawyer’s sister Agnes, his cousin Dew Tuan Wleh Mayson, and other members of his extended social family and friends. The Foundation seeks to preserve and advance his vision by supporting education programs that empower Liberian youth through knowledge and civic participation.
According to officials of the Foundation, its mission is to help improve the quality of life of children and youth in Liberia by providing educational opportunities, especially through scholarships. The Foundation envisions a civically active and well-educated Liberian population.
During the meeting with Dr. Maparyan, the Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities by providing material and technical support to enhance the learning environment and expand the capacity of instructors and school administrators. A key focus of the Foundation is to offer financial aid to deserving students, particularly young girls, in an effort to bridge the gender gap in education.
The visit served as a platform to deepen collaboration between the Foundation and the University of Liberia, with shared goals of building intellectually engaging educational spaces and fostering a generation of critical thinkers committed to national progress.
