At the American University of Nigeria (AUN), expanded community engagement efforts continue to strengthen meaningful relationships with local communities while projecting a positive image of the university. During the Fall 2026 semester, which began in January and ends in May 2026, students have translated the institution’s development philosophy into measurable impact across Yola and surrounding areas.
Mr. Aliyu Ahmed, Director of the AUN Community Service-Learning, revealed that AUN students have logged over 1,000 hours of community service this semester. In total, 496 students engaged in community service outreaches that directly impacted 2,536 beneficiaries. Mr. Ahmed noted the semester has shown “remarkable strides” in participation, including “a striking rise in male student involvement.
He observed, “Previously, most of the students engaging in individual community service projects used to be female, but for this semester, the male have decided to hit harder. This aligns with the vision of AUN as a development university, one that goes beyond teaching to impacting society.”
This growth in student ownership has been encouraged through the support and mentorship of Professor Dewayne Frazier, AUN President, whose commitment to service has shaped a campus culture where civic responsibility is both modeled and expected. Under his guidance, university leadership has remained actively present in communities across the region, backing projects that spanned school support and infrastructure upgrades, multiple seasonal faith-based outreaches, community health initiatives, and partnerships for skills training and youth recreation.
By personally funding every community project he executed, President Frazier demonstrates to students that true community service requires self-sacrifice, converting principle into practice through direct investment in the lives of beneficiaries across multiple communities.
The outcomes reflect that expanded effort: 148 out-of-school children were enrolled back into school, and 510 students received scholarships to support their education. Skills training was provided for 80 people to promote economic self-reliance. Food drives reached 398 beneficiaries, and health-focused distributions included 800 birth kits and 600 dignity kits for women and families in underserved communities.
Student organizations have driven much of that impact. The Women Leadership Council provided hygiene and sanitary materials to students at Government Girls Secondary School, Yola. The Student Outreach Project advanced its campaign against out-of-school children. The Girl Child Aid Foundation supported survivors of gender-based violence at the Hope Centre, Specialist Hospital Yola.
The Honor Society hosted Honor Society Week, welcoming students from ten secondary schools to AUN for academic competitions and creative workshops. The Student Government Association delivered food, clothing, and essential supplies to Araya Orphanage. The Law Students Society combined advocacy with action, educating residents on seeking justice and promoting the AUN Law Clinic.
As President Frazier has stated, “In AUN, we think of solutions, and these solutions emanating from the community is the best part of it. Our students are trained to see reaching out to people as a civic responsibility.”
Through his guidance, students have not only embraced that responsibility, they have exceeded previous levels of participation.
As the semester draws to a close in May, AUN is recording measurable gains in education, skills development, health, and welfare, alongside a noticeable shift toward broader, student-led engagement. For AUN, it is another step in a continuing commitment to link learning with leadership and classroom with community.
Reported by: Udoh Victoria Clement,
Marketing and Communication