Serving as president of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola across two separate terms, Margee Ensign witnessed how the institution became a vital force for regional development. Founded with the mission to serve as a hub for progress in a disadvantaged area, the university integrated its academic goals with the urgent needs of the surrounding population. This approach was essential during the years when Boko Haram, an insurgent group fundamentally opposed to Western-style education, posed a severe threat to the institution and the region.
To build resilience, the university established the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), a coalition of local religious, business, and youth leaders. Through this partnership, AUN launched programs like ‘Feed and Read’ to combat literacy issues and hunger among street children, effectively reducing the pool of youth vulnerable to recruitment by insurgents. The university also employed local women to manage food programs and utilized technology-driven initiatives, such as radio literacy lessons and digital libraries for regional hospitals, to provide concrete benefits to the community.
These community ties proved life-saving when violence escalated in 2014, as local leaders provided intelligence on threats, allowing the university to prepare for crises. When hundreds of thousands of refugees arrived, AUN utilized its established networks to provide shelter and academic continuity for displaced students. By embedding community projects into its curriculum, AUN empowered locals—particularly women and farmers—and reinforced the idea that education serves as a tool for peace and social advancement. As one Chibok student who escaped captivity and graduated from AUN noted, education remains a transformative force that grants individuals the power to advocate for themselves.