1990
The Association of Episcopal Colleges (AEC), subsequently revived Friends in 1990 when civil war broke out in Liberia and the College was forced into exile. Dr. Melvin Mason, President, moved the College to Lawrenceville, Va. at the invitation of Dr. Thomas Law, President of St. Paul’s College. Dr. Wilbert LaMelle, president of the Phelps-Stokes Fund, and former US ambassador to the Republic of Kenya and to the Republic of Seychelles, became chairman of "Cuttington in Exile".
During that period, the Phelps-Strokes provided office space and gave a generous donation of $50,000 to support the Cuttington in Exile program. With assistance from the Association of Episcopal Colleges, Cuttington in Exile moved to St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, VA. The Cuttington in Exile program assisted seniors and juniors in Liberia at Cuttington to complete their educational pursuits by placing them in USA colleges and universities wherever possible. The AEC provided an office at the Episcopal Church Center in NY.
When the Association of Episcopal Colleges merged into The Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC), it was agreed that Cuttington needed special attention during the civil war in Liberia. Friends was revived under the leadership of the Rt. Rev. Douglas Thurner, Bishop of New Hampshire, and the Rev. John L. Powers as its Executive Director. Directors were Dr. Linda Chisholm, Partnership for Service Learning, Dr. Stephen Kaifa, professor, County College of Morris, NJ, Margaret Larom, Episcopal Church Office; Seth Edwards, Chase Manhattan Bank, Nevin Brown, Partnership for Service Learning, along with Dr. Mason and other Cuttington faculty members. In 2003 Seth Edwards was instrumental in renewing the organization's IRS tax-exempt status New York State not for profit status.
Friends acted as a liaison for Cuttington and the Episcopal Church. It sourced potential donors across the U.S.and processed scholarships for Cuttington students. Identifying scholarship funding was always the highest priority. Other activities included preparing shipments of books and other resources to the College. During this time, Stephen Kaifa, a Cuttington graduate, agreed to assist in forming a Cuttington Alumni Association in the Americas and held the first meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. The primary function of that organization was fund-raising for Cuttington, particularly for scholarships.
Over the years, major funding sources for Cuttington have been the Presiding Bishop’s Fund; Trinity Church Wall Street Foundation and the US Federal government including USAID. Ed Holmes, a strong Cuttington supporter, organized a major grant from the U.S. State Department for repair of the water and sewer system at Cuttington.