Tubman University Activities

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In My Little Corner
By Ray Funk
The Tubman University expounding the
educational horizon in South Eastern Liberia
under Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell.

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We were so delighted to leave our Little Corner in
Liberia’s Capital Monrovia recently to travel hundreds of
miles to south eastern Liberia; specifically to Maryland
County. We had received an invite to help train a group
of enthusiastic young Liberians mastering the art of
Journalism at the William V.S. Tubman University’s
Phoenix Radio 102.7 FM. The Manager, also a young
Liberian female with great aspiration, a beneficiary of our
tutelage in the area of Journalism, remained restless until
she had us share our knowledge with she and her
colleagues.

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We took great pride in the invitation primarily because a
product of our handiwork had gotten this opportunity to
put into practice what she had been thought in such a
managerial style or position. It was a further extension of
our support to her; making sure that she succeeds in an
exemplary fashion.
Harper itself where we stayed for three days during our
interaction with the young and potential Liberians aiming
to be great Journalists in the future; had changed in
terms of its look. The city is enjoying constant and stable
electricity from the West African Power Pool Project
coming out of neighboring La Cote D’voire. The main
street in Harper Maryland Avenue is lit unlike in the past
when complete darkness overshadowed it, allowing free
movement of people at any time of the night these days.
Almost every house and even a house that is nearing
completion or a make-shift structure are enjoying the
electric facility.
We may not have had the chance to walk through the
city, but the little that we viewed, gave us a great
impression about the progress that the county is
experiencing. Moreover, the people appeared very
enthusiastic about this opportunity. Jokingly when we
asked them to borrow some of their stable electric power
to bring to Monrovia, they laughed and remarked “we
cannot borrow; we can only accept people to come and
reside with us to enjoy what we are enjoying”.

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It made us tempted to want to take a decision in the
future to move to Harper, Maryland County…the “Land of
Sunshine” as it is referred to by some residents who are
very frequent callers on the United Nations Radio and
other local radio stations in Monrovia.
Following our brief interactions with Harper city and some
of its residents, we wasted no time to jump to what we
went for….to impact journalistic knowledge; something
that we take great pride in primarily because others took
pride in helping us. Whenever we have this opportunity,
we do not blink our thoughts about what to do, but take
an instant affirmative decision.
So we immediately moved to the County’s only higher
institution of learning, the William V. S. Tubman
University formerly known as "William V.S. Tubman
College of Technology", TC, for short. The County that
became part of the Republic of Liberia on April 23, 1857.
Before this decision, Maryland was a separate
independent country. It was the largest territorial gain for
Liberia, taking place during the Presidency of Stephen
Allen Benson with assistance from J.J. Roberts, the
former president, and Ford McGill, governor of Maryland,
and Dr. James Hall, also of Maryland. Its name was
changed to Maryland County, bringing the total number
of counties in Liberia at the time to five. (Courtesy of
Liberia Social Studies Grade Seven).

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We are sure our Liberian historians are still researching
Maryland County’s previous name…the name it was called
before being called or named Maryland County. We have
no doubt that that research will be concluded in the not-
too-distant-future.
We thought this brief history is necessary not only for
your information, but education if you may. We think all
the bits and pieces are essential ingredients for our write-
up, as we make strides to contribute to knowledge and
nation building in this beloved country of ours that was
once the beacon of hope for many people in Africa and
other parts of the world prior to our brutal and senseless
civil war; a war that totally destroyed our social fabric as
a people and country.
Because our focus is on the University, we want to begin
by first bringing you a brief history of how it all started.
(Courtesy of the Tubman University website). The William
V. S. Tubman University is a "new-old" institution of
higher learning. It is "old" in that it is an institution of
higher learning formerly known as "William V.S. Tubman
College of Technology", TC, for short. Tubman University
came into being by an Act of the Liberian Legislature,
transforming the William V.S. Tubman College of
Technology into the "new" William V.S. Tubman
University on September 14th, 2009.
Since the absence of a viable higher education institution
in the southeast of Liberia was of great concern, several
political leaders and prominent citizens advocated for the
erection of a college in the region.

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The people of Maryland County donated the land in
commemoration of the 75th birthday of President William
V. S. Tubman, a son of Maryland County. Construction
began under the administration of Liberia's President
William R. Tolbert, who also appointed its first president.
TC began in August 1978, with an enrollment of 87
students. TC thrived in producing 50% -60% of Liberia's
technocrats in the fields of architectural, civil, electrical,
electronic, and mechanical engineering.
Enrollment increased to 221 and the College of
Technology produced a number of graduates with
Associate degrees in these fields. By 1990, the National
Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) in Liberia
accredited TC to offer a 5-year Bachelor of Science
degree in the aforesaid fields in engineering. Education at
TC came to an abrupt halt upon national civil conflicts,
however. The campus, its infrastructural support,
buildings, libraries, etc. were severely looted, damaged,
and left bereft of the promising glory of producing
Liberia's technocrats. In 2006 - 2007, the Ministry of
Education (MOE) and the NCHE, again prodded by
legislators and prominent citizens moved to action. They
created an Interim Management team and funded their
assessment. The team reported that a successful revival
of TC was possible. MOE and NCHE funded an
engineering assessment that later led to the
establishment of a permanent team in 2008. The Visitor
to the College, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,
in 2007, appointed Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell as
President, thereby ascribing her place in history as the
first female president of the institution.

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Dr. Davis-Russell upon her selection immediately
assessed the viability of the College within the southeast
region of post-conflict Liberia. She raised the bar by
envisioning an institution having five colleges to provide
much needed education, services, contribution to the
region, the nation of Liberia, and to the world at large.
She envisioned the new William V.S. Tubman University
(TU).
The Colleges include: Agriculture and Food Sciences, Arts
and Sciences, Education, Engineering and Technology,
Health Sciences and Management and Administration.
Chatting with Dr. Davis-Russell in her Certificate-Degree-
Diploma decorated office situated in the eastern part of
the Tubman University, the soft-spoken and articulate
Educator stated how overwhelmed she was to have
learned of her selection by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
to help to transform a higher institution of learning in
Liberia. She was glad to be coming back home to the
town where she enjoyed the benevolence of her parents
and the community, to pay back. But her focus was to
punctuate an accountable and well-respected institution
of learning in her native land; an institution in her words
free of corruption. She told us how elated she was to
have had the opportunity to come and build an
educational institution that will brighten the intellect of
young and aspiring Liberians and others from Africa and
other parts of the world.

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The soon-to-be seventy-four year Tubman University
President proudly spoke of some outreach programs
undertaken by the University that have impacted the
lives of community residents in Maryland County.
According to her, these projects have improved the living
conditions of Marylanders particularly women and
children.
We were touched to hear that students at the various
colleges of the University with the guidance of their
lecturers and instructors have been at the fore front
learning by doing while at the same time transferring
skills. Giving back to the community through periodic
clean-up exercises and partnering with groups and
organizations to make things better in Maryland County,
was one area that Dr. Davis-Russell prioritized.
The William V.S. Tubman University is the second
government of Liberia four year degree learning
institution. She praised the government for its support,
but said they have had to scout outside in order to
provide quality education. Dr. Davis-Russell is very proud
of her Faculty, many of them with Doctorate Degrees.
Under this very astute Liberian Educator, the Tubman
University now has a student enrollment of a little over a
thousand with students coming from Nigeria, Niger, Ivory
Coast and the Philippines. This is the only University in
Liberia that we know of having a Wi-Fi facility for its
students to enhance their learning process.

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Under Dr. Davis-Russell who is retiring for the second
time, the Tubman University has a well-equipped
simulation laboratory where students learn hands-on.
Under this serious-looking but approachable Elderly
Liberian, the Tubman University is a no-nonsense area, a
learning community where principles are strictly adhered
to.
This learning environment manned by Liberia’s 167th
Independence Day Orator for over one decade jealously
transforming minds, attitudes and behaviors; ensuring
that Liberia’s future leaders are enriched and endowed
with an impeccable character and integrity.
Dr. Davis-Russell is retiring from her brain-child, but had
promised to remain engaged, hoping that her dreams are
further fostered. Even though the process has begun for
the selection of her successor, she has explicit confidence
that the template that she and her abled faculty have
formulated will be cared for and implemented. Dr. Davis-
Russell did not appear to have any inch of regret for
missing the post of Education Minister for Liberia given
the kind of environment that she and faculty have
created in Harper, Maryland County. We are sure she
happily escaped the headache of patching up Liberia’s
messy educational system even though she has the
exquisite ability to perform and play the magic.

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Though Dr. Davis-Russell has to return to the United
States to spend some quality time with Mr. Thomas E.
Russell her darling husband who cannot wait to have his
“Very Friend” by his side, their daughter Dr. Allison
Hader, son-in-law Dr. Daniel Hader, and son Scott Olie
Russell, she has promised to still find some time for the
Tubman University making sure that the educational light
continues to shine there.
Dr. Davis-Russell is retiring when the Tubman University
is planning for its second graduation at the end of May
2016. We can imagine the kind of input she is making to
ensure that it is a remarkable event. While we were there
recently, we observed that she is running the University
with a hands-on attitude designating duties to her
deputies and other faculty members.
Since we gave you a brief history of the Tubman
University, we think it is equally appropriate to state
briefly about the person who has contributed immensely
to the educational lightening in south eastern Liberia.
Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell was born in Harper, Maryland
County Liberia, to Former Supreme Court Associate
Justice O. Natty B. Davis and Diana Dueh. She began her
education at AME Day School in Harper and then
transferred to Cape Palmas High School where she
completed the eighth grade.

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She attended Suehn Academy from where she graduated
high school. She continued her studies at London Tutorial
College, London, England, where she completed her O
Levels. She then went to the United States and attended
Oakland University in Michigan where she completed a
B.A. in Psychology in 1965.
Dr. Davis-Russell was then accepted into New York
University for graduate work. In 1966, she obtained an
M.A. in Educational Psychology. She was then accepted
into Yeshiva University where in 1975, she obtained an
EdD in Counselor Education. Desirous of fulfilling her
dream to become a psychologist she then matriculated at
New York University and completed a PhD in Clinical
Psychology in 1987. Upon graduation she pursued Post
Graduate Training and received Certification in
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at the Institute for the
Study of Psychotherapy in New York, NY. Dr. Davis-
Russell is a licensed psychologist in the State of
California, where she had a private practice in addition to
teaching.
In her concluding remarks during our chat with Dr.
Davis-Russell recently, the Liberian Educator said she
would want to be remembered for working to build a
solid foundation for quality education in her native land.
Indeed that remembrance will be written in Liberia’s
history and will be read about. She will definitely be
remembered as the William V.S. Tubman University’s
first woman President who served for a little over a
decade and expounded on Liberia’s educational system in
the south eastern part of the Country.

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