“Thanks Dean Josephus M. Gray for lifting up others”, Miss. Patricia Joma Sando. With these above salient and penetrating a mind-driven nerve awakening appreciation is highly commendable and shall find their way in the progressive history of mankind.
In keeping with the Liberia parlance, “good never lost”. Having received the portrait presented and unveiled by one of Liberia’s finest and brilliant females’ role model as evident by being the dux of Undergraduate Senior Thesis of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Liberia 102nd Graduation Class of 2021.
Miss. Sando, a graduate of BA degree in Geography showcased the unveiling of the portrait of the Dean of the College, Associate Professor Dr. Josephus M. Gray on Monday, April 8, 2024. The unveiling ceremony which was attended by chairpersons and staffs of the Amos C. Sawyer College took place at the Dean’s official office on the UL Campus in Fendall, outside Monrovia.
Based on her eloquent academic performance, widely acclaimed scholar in the academia, the Amos C. Sawyer Educational Foundation being very impressed awarded her a full blown Master’s scholarship to pursue her master’s degree task, she exquisitely completed praiseworthily graduate with high respect at the Amos C. Sawyer College, formerly Liberia College established since 1862.
Receiving the accolade, the Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Dr. Josephus M. Gray, who is also Sharda University in India Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia, scored the gift as deeply precious and will go a long way in determining and pursuing others who believed in the Holy Commitment to always be one’s brother keeper.
Dr. Gray extolled Miss. Patricia Joma Sando for her sense of oneness and belonging, and challenged her to never lose pace on her dynamic academic trajectory. She is pursuing her MSc studies in Environmental Management at the University of Liberia.
Recently, the leadership of the University of Liberia 102nd Graduation Class of 2021 bestowed on Dr. Gray the “Most Progressive Dean of Year Award” at the University of Liberia. The prestigious Progressive Dean’ of the Year 2021-2022 Award was bestowed upon him for his visible and extraordinary contributions towards higher education, faculty capacity building, career development and several developmental initiatives.
Dr. Gray is the winner of this inaugural award which honors and recognizes Dean for demonstrates leadership, excellence interactions and guidance in working with students and faculty in the framework of outstanding creative and innovative activities as well as the new the trajectory of the College and the reintroduction of compulsory essay exams and thesis across the entire college.
The distinguished graduates, 203rd Class described Dr. Gray as a highly accomplished Dean whose office doors are always opened to students and faculty. According to the students, Dr. Gray as a Dean understands student’s plight, kind, compassionate towards others and very accessible despite of his enormous workloads. The award was presented to Dr. Gray on Thursday, 14 March 2024 at the Conference Room of UL President by the Director of Protocol, Madam Dekontee Tubman on behalf of the leadership of the 2021-2022 Class.
Sawyer College is highly respected for our well-skilled, renowned, professional and trained faculty. The quality of faculty at the institution is the primary reason students choose to study here. We attract scholars at the cutting edge of their various fields including include publishers, authors, critical thinkers, educators, and scholars with a reservoir of knowledge in their chosen disciplines of social sciences and humanities.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be selected from among 2000 faculty members at the University by distinguished graduates of this great institution, I’m personally devoted to hard work and development of faculty and staffs’. Under Dr. Gray’s guidance, the Amos C. Sawyer College has developed international reputation, broaden academic ties with other universities and colleges and with the support of the President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson, several students are studying abroad for master’s and doctorate studies in various disciplines. Professor Gray has been appointed as Sharda University in India Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia.
Amb. Dr. Gray’s appointment is predicated upon his tireless effort, selfless interest and his openness in liaising with other higher institutions of learning in cementing the academic growth and development of students and faculty members of the University of Liberia in advancing their academic achievements.
Amb. Dr. Gray’s appointment was made recently by the President of International Relations of Sharda Group of Companies in New Delhi, India, Dr. Ashok Danyani during his recent visit to Liberia as official guest of the University of Liberia.
According to Dr. Danyani, the appointment of Dr. Gray will go a long way in fostering and fertilizing the eloquence and pride of all beneficiaries in particular and the university community in general. Justifying confidence repose in Amb. Dr. Gray’s ability, capacity and astuteness, the President of Sharda University says he remains proud of the conferment of the Diplomatic task on the Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities. This praiseworthy development free of personal recognition rather for the wellbeing of others who are mostly in need is highly commendable and desirous of the unique accolade in the embodiment of the title: Ambassador.
The appointment is in recognition of Ambassador Gray’s pivotal contributions towards quality learning and human capacity building. The President of the International Relations of Sharda Group of Companies and University challenge Professor Gray to be an agent of progress for human resource development in the global academic community.
Responding, Prof. Dr. Gray noted that he was shocked that whatever task he may have involved himself with which is pro-people-centered activities in the academic orbit, did not go unnoticed.
Accepting his preferment, Ambassador Gray commended Dr. Danyani and the Sharda University and promised live up to the challenge in a special manner that will bring glory, proud and mutual respect for both institutions, University of Liberia and countries-Liberia and India.
Dr. Gray upon his preferment, is graced with diplomatic working and education, such as student and professor of International Relations, Diplomacy and Foreign Policy Studies, and also worked as senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, Assistant Foreign Minister for Public Affairs, Political Counselor at the Embassy of Liberia in Paris, France, and Charge D’ Affairs at Liberia Permanent Mission to the SWISS Federation and the United Nations in Genera, Switzerland, respectively.
Ambassador Gray hails from the Southeastern village of Kayken, Barclayville District in Grand Kru County and has achieved the highest level of academic mastery in his chosen academic field including a Ph.D. (distinction) in International Relations and diplomacy from HELP-CEDS University in Paris, Republic of France. He further holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication (Print Journalism) from the University of Liberia. Ambassador Gray is also 2008 graduate of Chinese Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, China with advanced Diploma in Diplomacy while in 2006 through the sponsorship of Association of American Editors and ICFJ in Washington, D.C., USA.
Prof. Gray spent several months in the USA at the Savannah Morning Newspaper in Savannah, Georgia and a week each at Washington Post, New York time and Associate Press on the International Journalism Exchange Program. He also holds dozen of diplomas and certificates in foreign policy studies, international relations, diplomacy, print journalism, development communication, research methodology, and Digital Communication from Paris, France; Genera, Switzerland; Beijing, China; Washington, D.C., USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Rabat, Morocco; Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal And Monrovia, Liberia.
Besides the Deanship, Ambassador teaches International Relations specifically Decision-making in International Politics and Political Communication at the University of Liberia Graduate and Undergraduate programs.
Under the administration of Dr. Gray, Dean of the Sawyer College, there are more full-time faculty members then part-time faculty members. For the four and half years Dr. Gray served as Dean of the college, about 135 faculty members have been fully employed while over 30 staffs have been employed. The Dean is much grateful to the President of UL, Dr. Nelson for said employment and support towards the college in its development and new trajectory.
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