The United States Embassy near Monrovia has inaugurated a new educational resource called the "American Shelf" at the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) near Monrovia. This initiative, launched on April 11, 2024, aims to promote knowledge sharing, cultural exchange, and innovation between Liberia and the United States.
The American Shelf features a collection of books and literature about American culture and serves as a gateway to additional knowledge for students at AMEU and other educational institutions. During the opening ceremony, Chargé d'Affaires Catherine Rodriguez emphasized the importance of the American Shelf in providing students with access to diverse learning opportunities beyond traditional classrooms.
"The shelf is an opportunity for the students at AMEU and other tertiary institutions to have a gateway to additional knowledge," she said.
"So, these books and all this other stuff, and more importantly, the gateway to the Internet, is a way to access things that, beyond the city limits of Monrovia, you have basically through the shelf access to the world," Rodriguez added.
Rodriquez said the shelf will enhance students' knowledge not only in the classrooms but also through books, which will spark their imagination.
She highlighted the shelf's role in connecting students to Wi-Fi and online resources, enabling them to explore various cultures, societies, and ideas. Rodriguez encouraged students to embrace the American Shelf as a platform for learning, collaboration, and exploration. She underscored the strong relationship between Liberia and the United States and expressed enthusiasm for future collaborations.
Rodriguez also highlighted the potential of the American Shelf to act as a repository of information about the United States and the diverse programs offered by the Embassy.
She stressed that Liberia and the US have a very strong relationship, which she also looks forward to growing. Rodríguez urged the students to take advantage of all the information they will be activating, which they can access through the World Wide Web.
"But I like your idea, and I share your vision. That shelf moved into a corner. Unfortunately, we have to go through the steps. Sometimes you have to learn how to crawl before you can learn to walk and before you can start running," she responded to AMEU president Rev. Alvin Attah's plea.
For his part, Rev. Alvin Attah, President of AME University, expressed gratitude to the U.S. Embassy family for their continuous support of the university and education in Liberia.
According to him, U.S. support over the years has been so significant in enhancing their academic activities, as has the inauguration of the American shelf today.
He said, "We are dedicating the American shelf to students and members of the public. I'm happy that Dean Brown has indicated that it will not only be open to students from other schools like Monrovia College, Monrovia Demonstration School, or a lot of schools within this cashmere area, where they can now come and benefit from the resources that are here on the shelf. But I also want to note that my dream for this is to move from shelf to corner."
Rev. Attah, who welcomed the delegation from the US Embassy, highlighted the construction of Hatcher Hall through a grant of US$1.6 million provided through the instrumentality of an American, James Clyburn, the installation of Wi-Fi in the building housing the College of Education, and AMEU's partnerships with several US-based tertiary learning institutions as contributions made by the US Government and people to Liberia.
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Rev. Attah also named the United States support for the Institute of the Blind through the Lions Club of Monrovia and the USAID TESTS Project as testaments to the US government's commitment to the education system of Liberia.
According to him, the USAID TESTS Project has led to a 100 percent increase in enrollment in the College of Education, something he indicated is a boost to improving the quality of learning in Liberian schools.
He added that several American universities have partnered with them in the past, including Tennessee State University, the University of Baltimore, Georgia Grillet College, and several others.
"So, we're happy to have you join us today for the formal dedication of the American shelf here at AME University," the AMEU president added.
