{"684670":{"#nid":"684670","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Liberian Students Awarded Georgia Tech Fellowships in Computer Science","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a landmark achievement for higher education and international collaboration, 12 faculty and staff from the University of Liberia have been accepted into the Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/omscs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOnline Master of Science in Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E (OMSCS) program. This marks the first time \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E has offered full fellowships to students for its acclaimed online graduate program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe inaugural cohort began their studies in August, setting a precedent for future scholarship opportunities and academic collaboration between Georgia Tech and Liberian institutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative results from a strategic partnership between the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ucliberia.com\/\u0022\u003EUniversity Consortium for Liberia\u003C\/a\u003E (UCL) and Georgia Tech aimed at expanding access to world-class computer science education for Liberian students. Cynthia Blandford, president and CEO of UCL and former honorary consul for the Republic of Liberia in Atlanta expressed her pride in the milestone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe UCL\u0027s mission is to help provide brighter futures through education and understanding and this includes student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, academic scholarships, joint research, and fundraising,\u201d said Blandford.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe announcement follows a 2023 visit to Atlanta by Liberian President Joseph Boakai during which Georgia Tech formally introduced the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-introduces-new-computer-science-fellowship-during-liberian-presidential-visit\u0022\u003EOMSCS scholarship program for Liberia\u003C\/a\u003E. Michael Best, executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\u0022\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech emphasized the program\u0027s significance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech was delighted to host the president of Liberia,\u201d said Best. \u201cThis is the first time the OMSCS degree at Georgia Tech is providing complete fellowships to students. I am so glad Liberia is our partner in this groundbreaking program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe OMSCS program, hailed by Forbes as the \u201cgreatest degree program ever,\u201d is the first fully accredited online master\u2019s degree in computer science offered by a major U.S. university. It combines academic rigor with the flexibility of online learning, allowing students to earn the same degree as their on-campus peers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBest added that completing the program will be a personal achievement for the students and a strategic investment in Liberia\u2019s future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe graduates of this program will help to ensure that Liberia is a full participant and contributor to our digital age. These students\u2019 advanced training will position them for leadership and impact within Liberia and beyond.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUniversity of Liberia (UL) President Layli Maparyan is excited about the collaboration with Georgia Tech and UCL.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Georgia Tech OMSCS is equipping UL\u2019s computer science faculty and IT staff with a profound degree of capacity building,\u201d she stated. \u201cThis positions UL well for planned curricular developments in AI, cybersecurity, and other key IT areas of study. We are profoundly grateful to Georgia Tech for the timely launch.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 12 University of Liberia students accepted in the program are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHarris Barwu\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EClarence Carlwolo\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EViola Cheeseman\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAlieu Farhat\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVarney Jarteh\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFredrick Juah\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAbubakar Keita\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYougie Kessellie\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EJosephus Nyumalin\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMelvin Soclo\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMichael Umunna\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMartin Wallace\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a landmark achievement for higher education and international collaboration, 12 faculty and staff from the University of Liberia have been accepted into the Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/omscs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOnline Master of Science in Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E (OMSCS) program\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In a landmark achievement for higher education and international collaboration, 12 faculty and staff from the University of Liberia have been accepted into the Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) prog"}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2025-09-09 17:33:00","changed_gmt":"2025-09-16 18:02:46","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677952":{"id":"677952","type":"image","title":"University of Liberia President Dr. Layli Maparyan","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUniversity of Liberia President Layli Maparyan is pictured with students starting the Georgia Tech Online Master Program in Computer Science this fall 2025.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1757439061","gmt_created":"2025-09-09 17:31:01","changed":"1758045592","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 17:59:52","alt":"University of Liberia President Layli Maparyan is pictured with students starting the Georgia Tech Online Master Program in Computer Science this fall 2025.","file":{"fid":"261913","name":"PHOTO-2025-09-09-11-17-41.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/09\/PHOTO-2025-09-09-11-17-41.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/09\/PHOTO-2025-09-09-11-17-41.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":372198,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/09\/PHOTO-2025-09-09-11-17-41.jpg?itok=2m8pUL6R"}}},"media_ids":["677952"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["walter.rich@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}