ANOTHER LIBERIAN JOURNALIST IN THE U.S. GRADUATES WITH HONOR

Seven years ago, the name Moses D. Sandy was associated with objective and robust journalism in Liberia, West Africa. Because of dedicated and committed work, many Liberians including Mr. Sandy’s peers in the Liberian press corps adored him.
In the year 2000, Mr. Sandy’s active presence in the Liberian media came to a halt when he like most exiled Liberian journalists in fear of his life and personal well being fled Liberia and sought refuge in the United States. Since then he and his family have resided in Delaware.
Mr. Sandy recalled one of his admirers, Miss Fatu Browne, who now resides in, Minneapolis, Minnesota, “Was a principled and objective journalist in Liberia. The guy was tough but he did his job with humility.” He commenced his journalism career in 1989 as a cub reporter at the Ministry of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT). In 1995, he joined the work force of the nation’s broadcast network, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) as a reporter. At LBS, after few years of training coupled with the acquiring of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Mass Communication with emphasis in broadcast journalism from the University of Liberia, Mr. Sandy gradually rose through the rank and file of the institution to the position of Editor-in-Chief, News and Public Affairs Department.
As Editor-in-Chief, many including his co-workers at LBS admired him for objectivity. Because of his objectivity, he on numerous occasions ran into trouble with some insiders of the former dictator Charles G. Taylor administration. On many occasions, he was labeled as “enemy of the government.”
On Thursday, May 17, 2007 after few years of dedicated schooling, Mr. Sandy was amongst more than six thousand students who received undergraduate, graduate, and other advanced degrees from Temple University based in Philadelphia. He earned a Master in Social Work (MSW) from the School of Social Administration.
“My decision to pursuit an advanced degree in Social Work was based on career change. Currently, I work with the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center’s (CcTC) West African Refugee Assistance Program-Tamaa in Philadelphia as Care Coordinator. From my work, I have seen the enormous acculturative issues, language and culture barriers, and punitive social policies that African immigrants including myself deal with routinely in this country,” noted Mr. Sandy when he spoke to a group of exiled Liberian journalists at his residence in Newcastle, Delaware.
“Our people, he maintained, need help in navigating the US social systems. They need help with advocacy, policies interpretations, and the accessibility of needed services. This is what I do for living, and I find gratification in helping people from the impoverished and underrepresented African immigrant community.”
Responding to a question on what he intends to do with his degree; the former LBS Editor-in-Chief noted, “ My degree is currently being utilized. I am a social worker serving African immigrant, refugee, and asylee children and families in Philadelphia. In the future, I intend to collaborate with other African social workers for the setting-up of social service programs that would serve exclusively African families and children. Our people in this country are in dire need of childcare, adult literacy, job skills development, and social service programs. And my colleagues and I have the education, experience, and the cultural competence needed for such ventures.”
Commenting on his academic journey at Temple, the soft-spoken Sandy claimed, “This was not an easy ride. It took tremendous amount of social and economic sacrifices to accomplish this mission. As a dad, community leader, and a full time employee, it was tough for my family and I. My wife and I for the past few years had no time for socialization. And sometimes I had to joggle with whether to do my school assignment or sit at the table with my kids to assist them with their take home assignments. Despite all of these challenges, I am happy to note that I earned my MSW with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.8”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Mr. Anthony Kesselly has commended Mr. Sandy on his achievement. Speaking a graduation party tendered by the former LBS Editor-in-Chief and his family at their Newcastle, Delaware residence on Saturday, May 19, 2007, Mr. Kessely said, “Despite the many social and economic odds that immigrants contend with in this country, It pleases me to see Africans like Mr. Sandy succeed academically.”
Mr. Kesselly, also holds an MSW from Temple University. He urged Mr. Sandy and other Liberian social workers to use their education in championing the cause of the African community. “Let’s use our education to help our people in this country and on the African continent. The people need us and we can‘t let them down,” he advised.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Coordinator of the CcTC’s Tamaa Program, Mr. Kwame Asante lauded the graduate for the achievement. Mr. Asante said, “This is commendable and I ‘am happy that Moses was able to do this.” Graduate school, he claimed, “Is tough but with commitment and dedication you can do it.”
Mr. Asante is a career social worker with MSW from Temple and many years of working experience. He described Mr. Sandy as a dedicated and committed staff. Mr. Sandy is one of the two Liberian employees with CcTC’s Tamaa that graduated on with MSWs on May 17th. The other graduate is, Mrs. Claudia Spiller-Jargbah. Mrs. Jargbah is Tamaa’s Lead Care Coordinator.
Mr. Sandy is the former Assistant Secretary General of the disbanded Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA). He is also the current Acting Chairman of the Liberian Association in Delaware.
The May 19th graduation party was attended by scores of Liberians, relatives, friends, and well wishers.