MONROVIA — Censil University conferred degrees and certificates on 41 graduates over the weekend, urging the Class of 2026 to transform academic achievement into service and tangible national impact.
The university's sixth commencement convocation, held at Effort Baptist Church in Paynesville, drew families, clergy, academics and community leaders who gathered to celebrate what university officials described as another milestone in the institution's mission to train service-driven professionals since its founding in 2015.
Presenting the graduates to the Board of Trustees, Vice President for Academic Affairs Alex Korkolea detailed the academic breakdown of the graduating class, noting that the institution's expanding program offerings reflect its growing relevance to Liberia's workforce.
According to Korkolea, 28 students from the Mother Kolu K. Kalama College of Health and Environmental Sciences earned associate degrees, 12 graduates from the Nellie K. Tokpah College of Education received C Certificates in General Education, and one graduate from the Edward B. Tokpah College of Business and Technology obtained a bachelor's degree.
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University officials said the figures represent more than statistics, describing them as evidence that the institution's practical training model is gaining traction within Liberia's labor market.
Administrators noted in particular that the strong showing from the health and environmental sciences program reflects growing national demand for trained professionals in community health, environmental protection and public health management.
Education as Responsibility
Delivering the keynote address, Rev. Mrs. Neidah G. Lablah, founder of Divine Grace Anointing Deliverance and Healing Ministries, challenged graduates to treat their education as a responsibility rather than a personal achievement.
"A certificate should never be a decoration on your wall," Lablah told the audience. "It must be a tool in your hand, shaping lives and changing conditions wherever you stand."
Speaking on the theme "Shine Out Your Light," she urged the graduates to understand that their greatest accomplishment lies not in their academic credentials but in the values they cultivate through discipline, resilience and service.
"Your light is not your title," she said. "It is your integrity, your compassion and your willingness to serve when no one is applauding."
Lablah encouraged the new alumni to ground their professional journeys in five guiding pillars--competence, commitment, character, connection and contribution--which she said are essential to Liberia's development.
"Competence is not about occupying a seat," she said. "It is about filling that seat with innovation, responsibility and results."
Character and Perseverance
On commitment, Lablah reminded graduates that success is often forged through perseverance and sacrifice.
"History remembers the teacher who stayed late, the nurse who stood firm in crisis, and the entrepreneur who refused to surrender to failure," she said, noting that persistence would be critical in navigating Liberia's challenging economic landscape.
She also stressed the importance of personal integrity, warning that character ultimately determines professional legacy.
"Degrees introduce you to opportunity," she said. "But character decides whether opportunity stays."
According to the preacher, honesty and humility remain vital in societies grappling with corruption, mistrust and institutional weaknesses.
Lablah further highlighted the importance of building supportive relationships and professional networks.
"No light shines in isolation," she said. "When you lift others, your influence multiplies and your purpose becomes larger than your profession."
Service as the Measure of Education
Concluding her address, Lablah urged the graduates to measure the value of their education through the impact they make in their communities.
"If your learning does not improve a life, then it has not reached its full meaning," she said. "Shine for Liberia, shine for humanity, and shine where hope is needed most."
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In separate remarks, Board Chairman Rev. J. Andrew Lablah reaffirmed the trustees' commitment to strengthening the institution and expanding opportunities for quality higher education.
"This university will remain a beacon of excellence, innovation and integrity," he said, adding that the board remains aligned with the administration's vision to deepen academic standards and broaden the institution's reach.
Addressing the graduating class, the chairman described their achievement as both a personal milestone and a national asset.
"Your education is not only your asset," he told the graduates. "It is a torch that lights pathways for communities and generations yet unborn."
He urged the Class of 2026 to carry the university's reputation with pride and ensure that their success is ultimately measured by their service to society.
The ceremony concluded with prayers, applause and photographs as the graduates processed out of the sanctuary amid cheers from relatives, faculty members and well-wishers.
