Four Liberian Female Student Leaders Off to the U.S. for Study

The Government of the United States of America (USA) through its embassy near Monrovia on Friday, June 21, 2013 air lifted four Liberian female student leaders to study women leadership for five-to-six-weeks in the US.

The initiative is part of a US dedicated effort to enhancing quality education and building strong female leadership development in post conflict Liberia.

Speaking during a pre-departure orientation at the US Embassy, the Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy, Madam Sally Hodgson, named the four female student leaders as Precious P. Yango and Kona Y. Kpayieli of Stella Maris Polytechnic (SMP), Mabel C. Tartee of Smythe Institute of Management and Technology (SIMT) and Ellen W. Karnga of the University of Liberia (UL).

Madam Hodgson said the four student leaders were selected by Washington through a competitive process. She said the students are among many others on an academic exchange program for foreign undergraduate student leaders by the US.

The Academy Exchange Program, she said, is under the Study of the US Institutes (SUSIs) hosted by US academic institutions throughout the United States.

She said the program is sponsored by the US Government and supported by other universities in the US. The US Embassy official noted that the USA strongly believes in the education of Liberians and exchange programs as such will help to give Liberians and other foreigners the chance to learn more.

According to Madam Hodgson, the four female students will study how to improve the women leadership in Liberia and engage in other academic and volunteer projects at Simmons College in Massachusetts, USA, during this summer.

"This is an annual exchange program that features both teachers and students, and is sponsored by the US Government. It gives them the opportunity to travel to the US on five-to-six-week exchange program. The United States strongly believes in education and exchange of such that will help Liberians and other nationals to learn more about the United States. We seek out to find the best and the brightest of the students and teachers," she said.

She then hoped that the four Liberian female students use their knowledge to make impact in the lives of other women groups upon their return to the country.

Meanwhile, the four Liberian female departing students lauded the Government and People of the US for the learning opportunity afforded them. They promised to remain focused and committed to their studies while in the US and to train other Liberians upon their return to the country through their own voluntary programs at their various universities and communities.