The college, originally founded by the treasurer of the U.S. Episcopal Church in 1889, has built a reputation among Liberians for academic excellence. Yet, it has been forced to close at least three times, either for financial reasons or because of civil war or lawlessness.

The last closure came in March 2003, when students and faculty fled to Monrovia to escape civil conflict and military activity in the region. There, classes continued in rented quarters with the faculty who remained.

“Now, we are determined to go back,” Jeremiah Sulunteh, the college’s associate vice president for planning and development, said when he visited New York in September.

“The level of peace and security in the country is very encouraging. We think it is time to go back.” What the 700 students and 75 faculty will return to, however, is discouraging. Many of the more than 90 buildings, which consist of classrooms, staff houses, student dorms, hostels, guesthouses, bookstore, museum, library and student center, are uninhabitable.

Looters stripped away the zinc roofing, plumbing fixtures and window glazing. Still others contain damaged ceilings and exterior walls.  “The list of needs is daunting, but the students, staff and faculty remain faithful to their task of keeping the college open and working towards helping to rebuild the country,” said David Copley of Hampton, Va.,  president of Friends of Cuttington College.

Most urgent needs

The cost of new roofing for the buildings, the immediate need, is estimated at $250,000. The total building rehabilitation cost will be about $1.7 million, with another $200,000 for road and walkways improvement, with drainage.

Already, many Episcopalians are responding. New York’s Trinity Church, which does not typically fund capital projects, made a $75,000 grant from a one-time designated fund. Episcopal relief and Development matched that amount. An appeal to Episcopal bishops raised another $45,000, sent through Episcopal Relief and Development. Friends of Cuttington raised $7,000 more.

Currently, the college provides classes in a wide range of disciplines including nursing, education, administration, business, theology, biology, languages, physics, chemistry, rural development and agriculture.

C. Gyude Bryant, chairman and head of state of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, spoke supportively of the college when he visited Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold and officials at the United Nations earlier this year.

Bryant, a businessman and entrepreneur who graduated from Cuttington in 1972, says the college is important for young Liberians. "People have changed,” he said. “There is a whole new generation of Liberians emerging that desire peace. We want the school to be part of that process of rebuilding the country.”

Search for scholarships

To attract promising young men and women requires scholarship funds, and the college is searching for sponsors in Europe and North America.

“Many of the students are unable to pay for their tuition, which is understandable, since many Liberians are struggling to provide for the most basic necessities of life, such as food and shelter,” said Copley.
“Many students receive money from family living overseas, but there are still some 200 students that are in need of the $1,020 that pays for tuition and fees for one year.”

Despite the college's current difficulties, Copley sees Cuttington returning to its former pre-eminence. “The college is already working hard to educate the young people that will help to rebuild Liberia into becoming a stable and democratic nation once again,” he said.

The Association of Episcopal Colleges, which counts Cuttington as one of its Episcopal colleges, provides opportunities for U.S. residents to make tax-free gifts for student scholarships. Donors contributed $47,000 over last two years for Cuttington scholarships. Donations can be made and payable to: Association of Episcopal Colleges, 815 Second Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10017, USA