AMICUS UNUS FELLOWSHIP
A Brief History of Amicus unus fellowship
by george bernard (Kollie)
Class of '65
The Amicus Unus Fellowship (AUF) was founded in 1966 by eight members of Saints Class of 1965. The founding members were Jonathan Ashong, Varney F. Marshall, Richard B. Buxton, Samuel G. Bowman, Z’Sherman Adams, Richard Mayson, George Arku and George Bernard. As classmates and friends dedicated to their dear Alma Mater, they felt a bond of friendship that inspired them to name the organization AMICUS UNUS.
AMICUS UNUS is a Latin phrase that means “United Friends”. They felt the name adequately represented their bond, and would give them a distinction from the alumni association. They made it clear in their By-Laws and Constitution that Amicus Unus was a subsidiary of St. Patrick's High School Alumni Association.
Why the need for this organization when the alumni association already existed? AUF founders felt that the alumni association was largely dormant. There were no events that kept graduates of St. Patrick's active and engaged with the school and each other. So AUF founders decided creating an organization that will be both dynamic and inspiring was the right prescription to fill the void.
The goals and objectives of Amicus Unus Fellowship were the following:
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Serve as the nucleus of the SPHS Alumni Association
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Offer full and partial scholarships to indigent students
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Organize programs designed to foster a relationship between students and alumni
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Promote the idea of establishing a St. Patrick’s University.
AUF founding members from L-R: Samuel Bowman; Varney Marshall; Johnathan Ashong; George Bernard; Richard Buxton; Richard Mayson; Founding members missing from this picture are George Arku and Z. Sherman.
AUF members from L-R: Erivin Mollihai Clinton, J. Bropleh, J. Stevens, Willis Peters Sr., C. Dixon, R. Gibson, J. Wotorson, J. Dean, A. Nosikie, Bro. James Kozak (Ex-Officio), R. Travers, J. Ponnie and I. Taye
During its existence, Amicus Unus Fellowship accomplished many of its goals. The group established the African Day Program which celebrated the cultural heritage of Liberians. AUF successfully celebrated two African Day Programs: the first on in 19??, and the second in 19?? When students from both STC and SPHS were invited to the MICAT to celebrate our cultural heritage with Assistant Minister Bai T. Moore.
As the organization flourished, it began to grow. More graduates of SPHS signed up for membership. They included Jerome Wotorson, Ervin Molihai Clinton, Willis Peters Sr., C. Dixon, J. Bropleh, J. Stevens, J. Dean, A Nosikie, R. Travers, J. Ponnie and I. Taye. Brother James Kozak served as Ex-Officio of AUF.
With SPHS establishing a reputation an elite academic institutions in Liberia, AUF saw the need to expand this distinction. The organization met with prominent alumni of SPHS to pitch the idea of establishing aSt. Patrick’s University. The response to this idea was overwhelmingly positive. Many thought this was a great idea, including Lawrence Sawyer, a member of the first graduation class of SPHS, Class of 1943. To achieve its goals, AUF also had the full support of Archbishop Michael Francis and the faculty and students of SPHS.
Members of Amicus Unus Fellowship