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Liberian Gets Master’s Degree  In Management
By: Alex Redd
Madison, WI
December 16, 2003

The America dream for self-improvement has, for the most
part, been fruitful for most serious-minded Liberians in
the diaspora. Presumably, from the 90s through the new
millennium, many Liberians seeking refuge in the U.S. have
seized the moment to educate themselves in various
disciplines for brighter future. So is the case with a
Liberian, Carlos Wallace Smith Jr. of Brooklyn Park,
Minnesota who, on Saturday December 13, 2003, was a
recipient of a masters of arts degree in Management from
the College of St. Scolastica of Duluth, Minnesota. “ The
journey started in the Fall of 2002 and ended this Winter
of 2003 with no break in between” said  the new graduate,
Carlos Smith, in high spirit and great delight during a
phone interview from his town home last Sunday morning.
Carlos sees his latest accomplishment as a one step
forward and a new beginning for pursuance of financial
security and happiness on all front.

Widely known in Liberia as “DJ WALL”  since the emergence
of  Ducor Radio (DC101.1FM) in August 1995, the new
graduate toppled the airwaves of the radio station as a
popular figure for synthetically blending  the mixture of
hip-hop, R&B and Rap music that cajoled many youthful
followers. He founded the United Artists With A Vision, a
social group designed to bring out the talent and dignity
in teenagers, who felt overshadowed by  mundane maladies
as a result of the Liberian Civil War. “ He’s one of the
most intelligent human being I have ever come across”,
says Sylvia Henri, a former female co-worker at Ducor
Radio, who is currently working on similar master’s degree
but with a twist in public relations at the University of
Maryland.

Asked if he senses a mismatch between his master’s degree
in management and his voracious appetite for a music
career as in the past in Liberia,  Carlos replied “ I have
always been a mosaic person---music will be with me ’til I
die”. And, of course, this is true of Carlos. He is a
pianist at the Faith Chapel Evangelical Ministry in
Minnesota. This role  “ brings me joy and attainment of my
faith with the Lord and, as well a strong association with
my pastor John Saah, who graciously welcomes me
wholeheartedly”. There is something more appealing to the
surname of Carlos , when it comes to the political
landscape in Liberia.

His great grand father, James S. Smith, was Liberia’s Vice
President under President E.J. Roye. In addition, Carlos’s
great grand mother was a renowned Liberian lawyer. The new
graduate’s biological father, Carlos W. Smith Sr is
currently the secretary-general for the  United Peoples’
Party (UPP). “I have been swamped by family pressure all
these years to become a useful citizen” said the new
graduate with glee of hope for the future. It is Carlos’
hope to return home as situation improves there to give a
face lift during the country reconstruction process,
particularly in human development. His master’s degree in
management is heavily based in human resources: labor
aspect of strategizing, organizing, planning, developing
and implementing coherent tasks in both private and public
sectors of society.  Carlos’ father, a prominent Liberian
politician, had the fortune to sent his son to the
University of Liberia to obtain his undergraduate degree
in Economics before final arrival in the U.S.

While his dad is in Liberia, the former radio broadcaster
at DC Radio in Monrovia, expressed his gratitude to the
entire family for their kind support; getting along with
seven brothers and two sisters in the U.S., except for one
who resides in Monrovia, Carlos is the first among his
siblings to obtain such higher education in the U.S.

Upon arrival in the U.S in January 1999, Carlos
temporarily resettled in Trenton, New Jersey with his
biological  mother, Eleanor Badio. While there, he quickly
obtained a diploma as an administrator in computer
networking following twelve months of intensive training
at Computer Solutions Institute of New Jersey. Sensing
greener pasture in the financial sector and, as well the
need to draw closer to other family members and friends,
he later moved to Minnesota. According to Carlos, his
step-mother, Margaret Juah Smith, whom he described as
“heartwarming and inspiring”  welcomed him with open arms
in Brooklyn Center, MN.

There, he started out as a licensed insurance producer
with Primerica in areas of life, health and accident
insurance for many clients. Following that, Carlos worked
at Well Fargo Bank as an Escrow Analyst before moving on
to his current position as a Retail Analyst at the
corporate office of U.S. Bank in Saint Paul, MN. Carlos is
an active member of the Midwest branch of the Association
of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA).

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