CAPTION : From the Left: Afioga Peseta Dr. Desmond Mene Lee Hang – NUS DVC for Academic & TVET, Rev. Semi Kueva Faato’afe – EFKS Moataa, Afioga Sooalo Kuresa Sooalo – CEO of SPA, NUS Vice Chancellor – Afioga Aiono Professor Alec Ekeroma, Honourable Minister of Education, Sports & Culture – Afioga Seuula Ioane Tuā’au, Afioga Tupufia Faumuinā Opapo Oeti – Faamasina Samoa
PRESS RELEASE : Sooalo Kuresa Sooalo is the new President of the NUS Alumni. He is joined by Pastor Eric Poe as Vice President, Savea Fiti Tausisi as Secretary and Victory Utumapu-Milford as Treasurer.
Apia, Samoa – Thursday, 1st December, 2022. The National University of Samoa successfully hosted its first Alumni Reunion on Friday 25th November 2022, with more than two hundred NUS graduates in attendance; the majority of whom came from Ministries, Corporations, the Private Sector, and Schools.
The reunion began with an opening prayer by Rev. Semikueva Faatoafe from EFKS Moataa while the Master of Ceremony was Afioga Sa’u Emo Tauave, he was assisted by Mrs. Victory Utumapu- Milford as the co-host.
Our Vice Chancellor – Professor Aiono Alec Ekeroma, in his keynote address, expressed his delight at the large turnout and stated that the main purpose of the Alumni was to reunite and engage a network of NUS graduates to assist in the mentoring of current students to prepare them well for work and to assist in coordinating Alumni events for the University.
A few selected alumnus were specially invited to give a testimony on their academic journey and student experience at the National University of Samoa.
These consisted of the Honourable Minister of Education, Sports and Culture – Afioga Seuula Ioane Tuā’au, the CEO of MCIL – Afioga Lyndon Chu Ling, the CEO of SPA – Afioga Sooalo Kuresa Sooalo, the Former NUSSA President 2001 – Pastor Eric Poe, Moataa Primary School Principal – Pastor Fialua Vailili Tito andAvele College Principal – Afioga Sooalo Otilia Sooalo.
All the speakers gave inspirational testimonies of their time at NUS. The Honourable Minister’s testimony highlighted his endurance and determination to keep going and to finish what he started, despite the challenges that he had faced even in the midst of the intensive general election campaign in 2021.
He persevered and when he finally graduated with his Bachelor of Education (Primary) on October 2021, he was already appointed as the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture.
The reunion was also well attended by NUS graduates who are also NUS staff members.
The Office-bearers for the NUS Alumni included: Afioga Sooalo Kuresa Sooalo was elected as
the President, Pastor Eric Poe of the Christian City Church as the Vice President, Afioga Savea Fiti Tausisi from SQA as Secretary and Mrs. Victory Utumapu-Milford as Treasurer.
Finally, the University acknowledge and thank all of our graduates for making time to attend this special Alumni event. We wish our newly formed NUS Alumni Executive Committee all the best in planning the next NUS Alumni event.