Membership Qualifications
Generally, to become a member of COLED, a person of Liberian descent must meet certain eligibility criteria, which include at a minimum a Bachelor’s Degree earned from an accredited university/college, plus at least five years of working experience in the member’s Field of Specialization. A member must be of good moral character and have no felony conviction. Refer to the general membership checklist below.
Membership Eligibility Checklist
- College Graduate from an accredited university/college
- At least 5 years of work experience in the field of specialization
- Liberian Descendant by birth/immigration, and/or verifiable claim to Liberian nationality
- Complete 1)the Application, 2) the Consent Form, and 3) the Attestation Form
- Submit updated Curriculum Vitae or Resume with Application
- Submit Proof of College Degree earned from an accredited university/college with the Application
- Pay the required Membership Dues upon acceptance of the membership application
Application Process
A Membership Application including a Consent Form and an Attestation Questionnaire is required to be completed on the COLED website. All applicants are subject to vetting by COLED’s Membership Committee. All confirmed new members shall be required to pay annual membership dues effective the date of becoming a member. Members in good standing are eligible to participate in elections and/or stand for elected office.
Associate Membership
Professionals who are not of Liberian descent but who meet all other membership qualifications herein are welcome and may become Associate Members of COLED upon referral by a member in good standing, subject to the consent of the Membership Committee, and approval by the Executive Committee. Associate Members shall abide by and uphold the COLED Constitution & Bylaws. However, associate members are not required to pay membership dues and do not have voting rights.
PAYMENT METHODS FOR MEMBERSHIP DUES:
Annual Membership dues can be paid directly into COLED’s bank account via Zelle or Over The Counter Deposit at a JP Morgan Chase Bank near you.
(1) for Zelle, the member should send payment to Council of Liberian Experts in the Diaspora Inc. and use the email address treasurer.coled@gmail.com.
(2) Money Orders and Cashier’s Checks can be deposited at a JP Morgan Chase Bank which has branches nationwide. Dues should be deposited into COLED’s Bank Account Number 5 8 1 7 5 5 8 7 6. Please alert The Treasurer of your deposit by sending a screenshot of your deposit slip via direct message. The Chase Account # is attached for easy reference.
CashApp is no longer an option because COLED’s CashApp account is closed.
Thank You for your participation.
Membership Application Instructions
Membership Application – Please assemble the required documents and fill in your application in one setting. Complete all sections of the Application, include all attachments, including a clear photo. The next step in the application process is to click the Submit Button to submit the application.
Consent and Attestation Forms – Kindly fill in and sign the Consent Form or download the form to complete.
Membership Rules – Download the Rules for The Council of Liberian Experts in the Diaspora, Inc. (COLED). Membership rules derive from its Constitution and Bylaws.
Constitution and By-Laws – Membership rules derive from its Constitution and Bylaws.
Note that the entire application will be rejected if the above steps are not followed, and you will have to start the process over again.
Member Vetting Process
Application: Prospective members of COLED will be required to fill out an application form that includes basic personal information and qualifications for membership.
Screening: After receiving the application, the COLED Membership Committee will conduct a screening process to include the following:
- The applicant is a college graduate from an accredited university/college.
- Has 5 years of work experience in the field of specialization
- Liberian decent: (i.e. Liberian by birth/immigration or person whose legal parents are of Liberian decent.
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume and proof of college degree.
Selection and Notification: After completing the vetting process, the Membership Committee will contact applicants with an acceptance decision. In the event an applicant is rejected, the application will be referred to the Executive Committee for a final decision. An applicant accepted for membership will pay the required annual membership due to complete the registration process.