The long-awaited ceremony of the International Graduation Convocation 2024 of the distinguished Sharda University in New Delhi, India concluded on Saturday, 29 June with pride and joys, marking the hard earned academic achievement of several Liberia graduates in New Delhi, India. The splendid ceremony held at the institution’s World-class auditorium in Knowledge Park, New Delhi was an eye-catching, marvelous and fabulous event with less speeches, but colorful events.
Friends and family of the Class of 2024 filled the fabulous decorated Convocation Hall of Sharda University to watch their loved ones walk the colorful stage in pride and joy to receive the medals and diplomas. The graduates come from over fifty countries across the globe, and range in age from 16 to 35, more than 70% come from African countries with 14 from Liberia featuring the flags of their nationality including India and 50 countries including Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, DRC, Morocco, Nepal, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, and Zambia, among other states.
Two of graduates are Teaching Assistants (Victor Senyon MA in History) and (Lisa W. Edward MA in Linguistics) from the Amos C. Sawyer College. While it was a touching but amazing to see my nephew Leo S. Gray (MSc in Supply Chain and Logistics) graduated. The graduates from Liberia earned their degrees in the followings disciplines including Modern History, Linguistics, Business Management and Supply Chain, Computer Science and Engineering, Biotechnology, Sociology, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and Forensic, Computer Science Application and Engineering in grand style with joy and pride.
The occasion was student’s oriented event with spectaculars displayed of skills and talents by the students and graduates. Indeed, we enjoyed the beautiful setting, splendid and fantastic displayed of skills by the graduates while eye-catching World-class Convocation Hall well decorated with the school’s colors; while atmosphere was unique. We were inspired by the amazing atmosphere and students displayed of skills and talents, demonstrating love, unity and one family, reflecting Sharda University’s motto: The World Is Here…So Where Are You..
In our dual capacity as Sharda University Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia and Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Gray said he was excited to attend and touched by the necessary recognition and courtesies accorded him.
Describing the ceremony as fabulous and amazing, Dr. Gray disclosed that the graduation convocation events standouts to be uniquely great and marvelous. According to Dr. Gray, he attended in two capacities: as Official Representative of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Liberia, Senator Numene T.H Bartekwa. The Senator could not afford to attend due to his daunting task to resolve the uncertainty at UL. Secondly, he attended the spectaculars occasion to represent the former President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson who received official invitation month ago from the President and authorities of Sharda University, but due to his unfortunate situation at UL, he was unable attend.
The fabulous ceremony witnessed the presence of distinguished academics, ambassadors, scholars, stakeholders from the Indian societies, business tycoons, and high profile personalities, across the Indian society, and beyond. Later, I seize a golden opportunity to take the decorated stage to share words of motivation with the graduates. We couldn’t be happier since it was a perfect opportunity ever one looks up to.
During his remarks, Dr. Gray said: “No one can determine your future, you have set the stage for yourself”, praising the graduates from for their high academic performance and well deserve achievement. Indeed, they set a good example by projecting the country’s image positively to the Indian society.
The occasion was used to further encourage the distinguished graduates to use their hard earned academic degrees to move Liberia forward, and make meaningful contribution to national development and profoundly serve as ambassadors. It is our understanding that the graduates are nationals of India and 50 countries including Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, DRC, Morocco, Nepal, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, and Zambia, among other states. While 14 of the 300 plus graduates are Liberians.
In recognition of our outstanding contribution towards education and human development, the International Relations President of Sharda Group of Companies and Sharda University, Prof. Dr. Ashok Daryani on behalf of the Sharda University family presented a special gift to us. He remarked: Dr. Gray thank you for your service and support towards education of Liberians, we are happy to have a true and diligent friend like you.
Meanwhile, the fruitful academic ties between University of Liberia and Sharda University provide unique and life touching opportunity which guarantee attractive and concrete academic and medical benefits including scholarships, exchange of faculty, staffs and students and the establishment of centers of excellence in various fields and the construction of a teaching hospital.
While in India, Dr. Gray reiterate his commitment to use the official trip to broaden UL relationship with Sharda University, thus promising to create a strong impetus for human capital development and academic empowerment for the benefit UL faculty members, staffs and staffs in general. According to him, as Sharda University Ambassador to Liberia, I am very amazed and touched by the high academic performance of the graduates particularly the two Teaching Assistants from the ACS College and the rest of the graduates from Liberia.
Dr. Gray recounted: “It is very important to note that our faculty members, staffs and students learning abroad wouldn’t have getting such opportunity to experience advanced education abroad if had not been for the support received Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson during his tenure as President of the University of Liberia. Thank you Dr. Nelson for UL support towards these great. The graduates requested us to convey their appreciation to you.
Besides the ones abroad, five other faculty members, staffs and graduates of UL from the Colleges of Engineering, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Business and Public Administration and ACS College of Social Sciences will shortly depart the country for Master and doctorate studies in various disciplines at Sharda University in India. I am glad that we undertook this task with success for the benefit of these five great Liberians.
Again, he used our remarks to thank everyone, praised the President and administration of Sharda University for the unique ties between our two institutions of higher learning..
We were very impressed about academic performance and positive feedback from their Deans, Chairpersons and Professors regarding the high quality performance of graduates from Liberia.
Speaking further, Dr. Gray reminded the graduates how he and others countrymen were highly appreciated of Dr. Nelson including Prof. Weade Kobbah-Boley and Mr. Isaac H. Garnett for their numerous support towards the advancement of UL faculty and staffs abroad. It is very important to note that Dr. Nelson extra time and effort to ensure that UL carter to the staffs and faculty members studying.
