At Ashesi, my whole life changed. I met students from different parts of the world. My peers were smarter and challenged every academic, social, and political boundary in their societies daily. My lecturers empowered me to discover myself and also to strive for academic excellence, integrity, and to serve my community, irrespective of where I find myself.

I barely knew myself and what I really wanted to do with my life when I graduated from high school. However, I knew I was smart, and thought differently than my schoolmates. I realized after talking to some friends in public universities that, the existing universities in Ghana were not made to inspire people like me. I needed mentoring to harness all my potentials so I kept looking for a closer match.

So when my mum gave me the opportunity to choose a college to apply to in 2006, I stubbornly went for the harder option. I chose Ashesi University, knowing that failure to get admission into this ‘new big thing’ would mark the end of my college dreams that year. My parents worked tirelessly, with combined earnings of less than $200 monthly yet they insisted my nine siblings and I had the best education possible. Therefore the decision to spend the hard-earned GHc 45 on just Ashesi admission forms was unthinkable to many in my family because my parents had no chance of ever paying my tuition fees.

However, the idea of sitting in smaller classes, having exclusive access to lecturers during office hours and the prospect of benefiting from Ashesi’s financial aids available to people like me, was enough for me to risk everything. Yes, I did risk everything because, for the first time, I felt I would be getting something close to what my peers in seasoned colleges in the US and UK enjoy daily right here in Ghana.

After a grueling four-month application process, I finally got into Ashesi and received generous financial aid.  My first semester at Ashesi was the biggest four months of my academic life. I used the internet for the first time in my life.  Reading about past and present influencers of the world made me re-examine my beliefs, values, and aspirations in life.

At Ashesi, my whole life changed. I met students from different parts of the world. My peers were smarter and challenged every academic, social, and political boundary in their societies daily. My lecturers empowered me to discover myself and also to strive for academic excellence, integrity, and to serve my community, irrespective of where I find myself. I faced every new day thinking of solutions to problems instead of the usual moaning. I yearned for more knowledge hoping to learn something new every day. I learned to only consider my day successful if l learned something that has a positive impact on my community.

My proudest moment in Ashesi was the opportunity to be a member of the first students’ group (Class 2011) to formally consent to the university’s Honor Code system. I wanted to trust my mates and for them to trust me too.  We believed it could only be achieved by holding each other responsible to the honor code system.

Ashesi made me and gave me so many wonderful gifts: a cherished degree, wonderful lifelong friends, and a wonderful woman Amy who I met in my senior year, who is now my wife. I am now one of the few in my family to graduate from college and I remain grateful and proud to be an alum of an institution that personifies a new beginning in African’s present and future development.

Philip Coffie Dzisenu (Class 2011)

“Ashesi taught me that entrepreneurship is fun and rewarding; however entrepreneurship without a cause or social incentive to better the lives of a group of people is nothing to be remembered for.”

Written by Charles: “I am a GE project development associate covering Sub-Saharan Africa, where I helped build the “Ghana 1000” project. In other words, I am the boots on the ground with a seat at the drawing table.

The Ghana 1000 project is an integrated liquefied natural gas-to-power solution aimed at adding ~1080MW of power to the Ghanaian grid, about 45% of Ghana’s installed generation capacity. This transformational project addresses some of the fundamental challenges in the Ghanaian power sector including fuel price and availability, power shortages, and power cost. The addition of 1000MW of power fills the power shortage in-country, which will stabilize power supply both to benefit local customers and to attract more foreign direct investment.

As a recent graduate working in a management role on a project of this scale, I have had to be on top of my work. I have had the opportunity to work with senior leadership and high ranking stakeholders including ministries, global developers, and The World Bank. Ashesi prepared me to analyze and reason through problems, prepare a solution, and then pitch the solution to different stakeholders.

It’s not an easy job, but with hard work and persistence, my team and I continue to overcome challenges and succeed. In 2013, I received the “Imagination and Courage” award and was recognized by top management and supervisors for my work to make the Ghana 1000 project a reality. It was an honor to receive this award and has been one of my proudest accomplishments.

Aside from working at GE, I have started my own entrepreneurial venture, J.C. Palcknor, a high quality, handcrafted shirt line aimed at producing not only a world-class Ghanaian product but a brand with global appeal. We are focused on building local human capacity by training artisans to precisely produce a range of products of the highest quality to compete internationally.

I have learned through my career and time at Ashesi that entrepreneurship is fun and rewarding; however, entrepreneurship without a cause, or social incentive to better the lives of a group of people (no matter how small) is nothing to be remembered for. Ashesi grads leverage our learning in our respective fields, and by providing competent and ethical leadership, work to benefit society.”

Pictured above: Ashesi graduates, including Charles Kojo Bucknor, (bottom center) who work at GE Ghana. Impressed by their work ethic and ability to lead, GE leadership continues to seek out, hire, and promote Ashesi graduates.

The Mastercard Scholar shares her remarkable journey to Ashesi: “Gaining admission and a scholarship to attend Ashesi was a turning point in my life.”

Written by Barikisu: “I was at the market in Accra assisting my mother who is a petty trader of fruits, when I received the call that I had been accepted to Ashesi and was awarded a full scholarship. I screamed at the top of my lungs in the middle of the market— I was excited and honored. It took me days to be convinced that I was really going to attend Ashesi University.

My mother wept tears of joy. She thought I would never have the opportunity to attend university. I come from a community where most believe that a girl’s place is in the kitchen preparing to be a loyal wife to her future husband.

When I was thirteen, my father abandoned our family, leaving the five of us to live on a meager income. My mother knew I was smart and capable and reached out to my father for help funding my education. He refused my mother’s requests, and said that there is no benefit or need to educate girls. He said that if I were a boy, he might have considered my mother’s plea.

Despite our hardships, the expectations of my community, and often being encouraged by others to drop out of school, I worked hard on my studies. After high school, I enrolled in a catering course with a local NGO. One of the program’s facilitators, Mr. Asante, saw potential in me and helped facilitate and fund my application to Ashesi. He believed in me and thought Ashesi would provide a scholarship for my good grades and family struggles. His advice and guidance paid off.

Gaining admission and a scholarship to attend Ashesi was a turning point in my life. I have learned to stand up for what I believe is right. I am now thinking about how society was meant to be, and how to be an ethical leader to create positive change. I volunteer as a tutor at the Berekuso Crèche and Nursery and Berekuso Primary and Junior High School helping kids learn English. I am also part of a project called Upper Progress that improves education in the upper regions of Ghana.

After graduation, I hope to begin a master’s program in finance or investment banking and follow my passion for social entrepreneurship and giving back to society. With a better understanding of microfinance, I will be able to help women, like my mother, who works in the markets gain easy access to capital to grow their businesses. I also hope to continue my involvement with Upper Progress by funding the project and helping as many girls as possible get an education.

I have long known that women have equal potential as men, and should be given the proper training and education to take up challenges and develop the African continent. Ashesi has given me the skills to work for progress in my community and helped me develop the confidence and sense of duty to speak up when I see something unjust or wrong. I cannot express in words how grateful I am to attend Ashesi and for the opportunities, this scholarship has given me.”

Nearly 1/2 of West African students fail the mathematics portion of the WASSCE, and exam required to go on to college. An Ashesi student develops a solution by creating an engaging tool to help students master math concepts and exceed on their exams.

Ashesi student develops “Learn Math Yourself”

Written by Jackson: “While carrying out research for my senior project, I was appalled that nearly 1/2 of high school students fail the mathematics portion of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) each year. Students who fail the WASSCE cannot legally attend college in Ghana. I believe everyone can understand the basics of math, and that everyone should have the educational tools available to pass the WASSCE and go on to college. I wanted to help.

Learn Math Yourself addresses this issue by incorporating design and technology to teach and help Ghanaian students study math topics covered in the WASSCE exam. By using content from Khan Academy, a free internet-based education tool designed to help students all around the world, and collecting lessons that teach WASSCE test content, Learn Math Yourself prepares students for test day in an engaging and comprehensive way. Students learn to think critically and begin to understand the logic behind mathematical concepts, hopefully leading to higher scores.

I tested the application at several secondary schools and incorporated feedback to improve the program. Students were pretty ecstatic about the application and were excited to share Learn Math Yourself with their friends. The teachers I worked with see the application as a useful resource beyond the classroom, and as a solid program to test and improve student skills in particular math subtopics.

I can relate to the issues students go through when preparing for their exams. Undertaking this project did not feel like work, rather I saw it as my social responsibility. Ashesi instills in every student the need to work for change in their community. Ashesi has taught me effective problem-solving skills, given me the initiative to lead, and instilled in me the belief that my work can contribute to a better future for Africa.

Ashesi offers degrees with credibility. I knew that if I attended Ashesi I would find a number of opportunities after graduation at home and abroad because of the excellent reputation of the school around the world.

Naa Ayeleysa took full advantage of what Ashesi, and the world, offers to students. From winning career fair competitions, to earning internship opportunities at Goldman Sachs in London, to presentations at global conferences in Qatar, Naa went after every opportunity with grit, passion, and an ambitious goal in mind, all while maintaining a strong classroom presence. Today, Naa works as the Executive Assistant to the CEO & Chairman of Weston Group Ltd, Ghana, Liberia, where she helps manage the affairs of the company’s subsidiaries. Naa is also a leader on the Weston Group Foundation Initiative which will launch its first two projects in August/September 2014. The first initiative is a library project, which will be heavily focused on literacy rates for children up to 16 years old. The second project focuses on healthcare, and provides first aid tool kits for children ages 0-16 admitted at the Korle-bu Emergency Ward in Accra.

 

Tell us a bit about your background and family.
I am the oldest of three. I grew up in Ghana, but went to secondary school in London. I returned to Ghana in order to attend Ashesi.

What or who inspired you to apply to Ashesi?
I admired the small class sizes, strong reputation, and Honor Code System at Ashesi. While most of my friends continued on in school in the UK, it was important to me that I return home to Ghana. Ashesi offers degrees with credibility. I knew that if I attended Ashesi I would find a number of opportunities after graduation at home and abroad because of the excellent reputation of the school around the world. I was confident that there would be continuity between the secondary school I attended in the UK and Ashesi. Both have high standards and were institutions where cheating was unacceptable.

When you found out that you were admitted to Ashesi what was your reaction? What was your family and community’s reaction?
I screamed I was so excited. It was such a relief knowing that I had gotten in. My mom was ecstatic. I had joined my family in Ghana upon completing my gap year, when I found out. My mom had to leave London and return to Ghana for knee surgery, leaving me alone to complete my senior year. The rest of my family had returned to Ghana as well. It was an exciting and challenging time.

While I had a lot of friends in secondary school, and was the first non-Caucasian head girl at my sixth form school, I also experienced quite a bit of racism. In 2007 and 2008 there were lots of reports of gun violence in the UK and lots of racist attitudes were swirling. I was one of the only black students at my school which was difficult.

What was the greatest thing you have learned at Ashesi?
I learned right away to be proactive and to pursue every opportunity that was sent my way. In my opinion, we Ghanaians tend to be laid back and think that things will work themselves out—which is great, but it can also mean that you miss opportunities.

While at Ashesi, I participated in a number of clubs and organizations on campus, including Model United Nations, the Ashesi Welfare Committee, was an RA and peer educator, and also had my own TV talk show on a local station discussing young people issues.  In addition, I headed a project initiated by the African Development Initiative, with my team of five other students, to build 30 latrines for the Agyementi Community near Berekuso, the location of Ashesi’s home campus. I managed to keep my grades up while being involved in these activities, which is a huge point of pride for me.

At the start of a new semester (in my second year) I received news that I was reluctantly going to get kicked out of Ashesi because my family could no longer afford to pay my tuition fees. I took a proactive approach and advocated for myself just as Ashesi had taught me. I walked directly to Patrick’s office and boldly stated, “I don’t think that you should let me go. I am an asset. We need to keep me here.” He agreed.

After connecting with the financial aid office on campus, I applied for a scholarship. I was fortunate to receive a merit-based scholarship by the Educational Pathways International (EPI) based on my grades and achievements prior to and at Ashesi. I was very grateful.

What is the most challenging part of being a student at Ashesi?
I think getting the balance right was challenging. I needed to maintain my focus inside and outside of the classroom. I managed to find it, but at times it was especially difficult. I would also say that working with the administration, particularly as an RA and head of the Welfare Committee was hard. There were times where I would have to report my friends if they violated the honor code, or weren’t following school policies. It was an uncomfortable position to be in at times, but I think for the most part my peers understood and respected me for it.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
At my graduation from Ashesi, I received the President’s Special Award, which is given to students who have contributed to Ashesi’s mission and have a strong impact on the community. I was so honored and was the only girl to receive the award that year. I felt like all of my hard work, juggling classes and activities, and still making my target of attaining Cum Laude standing, had paid off. It was a great moment for me.

In your opinion, what is the most important work that Ashesi does?
Ashesi gives you hope for a brighter future. Career Services on campus was my lifeline on campus—that’s where I got a lot of what I needed to be successful outside of a university. I was able to connect with scholarships, organizations on campus, like Model UN, and internships—including one at Goldman Sachs in London. Career services taught me to discover myself and Ashesi helped me to dream.

Todd and Ruth share an underlying belief in empowerment. They feel their efforts are best concentrated where they have a multiplicative effect at a high level, and they saw education as the prime place to do that.

Philanthropy: a family affair for Ruth and Todd Warren

Engaged dinner table conversations
Alex Otsu | Reprinted with permission of the Microsoft Alumni Network.

 

Read the Warrens’ blog updates from Ghana…

 

Todd and Ruth Warren look right at home sipping espresso in bicycling shoes, but they are preparing for a drastic change in scenery come this September. Together with their daughter, they will be living in Ghana until December to work with Ashesi University and its founder, fellow Microsoft alumnus and Integral Fellow Patrick Awuah. Though they have been active in the university’s development since its inception, they are taking their commitment to the next level as Todd takes a teaching position, Ruth contributes to a book project that Patrick Awuah is writing about Ashesi, and their daughter Rachel volunteers as a teaching assistant in the Ashesi computer science department. Their passion for the school has clearly made an impact on their children, which truly makes giving a matter of the whole family.

“There are certainly a lot of talks around the dinner table, and our kids have grown up with the family values of not just giving back, but also empowering,” Todd said. “They’ve grown up seeing that we take this work seriously.” “Ashesi empowers young Africans to develop their own solutions to Africa’s challenges,” Ruth added. “Walking our talk is something we try to live by.”

Both Todd and Ruth sit on the Ashesi Board of Trustees, where each contributes in their own unique and impactful manner. Todd uses his background in computer science, teaching, and business to help advise and direct the board as its chairman. Ruth, in addition to her board duties, takes a more direct approach in her work by doing graphic design, writing, and other hands-on endeavors.

“We’re doing different things, but it’s really fun to have a shared passion where we can brainstorm on a strategic level,” Todd said. “We have very different duties in what we do on a ground level, but when it comes to strategy and fundraising, we can collaborate and be a team.”

A leveraged change

Todd and Ruth share an underlying belief in empowerment. They feel their efforts are best concentrated where they have a multiplicative effect at a high level, and they saw education as the prime place to do that. Accordingly, their support for Ashesi stems largely from the impact it has on the African community at large, with its graduates’ near limitless potential to grow the local economy, raise ethical standards, and create new solutions to local challenges.

“There’s only so much I, individually, can do,” Ruth said. “Soon there will be 1,000 Ashesi graduates that will dedicate their lives to exactly the kind of work I want to see done. I can’t do what 1,000 highly skilled people can do. We are working on a cultural shift among the most talented and ambitious young people so that they will be part of creating a better Africa.”

Where many people would be intimidated by the sheer ambition of Ashesi University, to empower young Africans to transform Africa, the Warrens are no strangers to the sweeping impact that can come from small, highly skilled and focused teams. Their years at Microsoft taught them to think big while maintaining tangible goals, and that experience is precisely what makes them such influential contributors. Todd said when Ashesi founder Patrick Awuah first approached him with his plan, he was impressed with the level of thought and research that had gone into it. In fact, it was better than many of the for-profit business plans he had seen. This prompted him to become one of the first investors in the school, and its mission has kept him on the board for the last 12 years.

Different passions, same goal

Todd also has a passion for teaching, having spent time during a leave of absence from Microsoft in 2001 as an adjunct professor in computer science at his alma mater, Northwestern University. Later, he was approached by the head of Northwestern’s Entrepreneurship Center to co-develop NUvention web, in which teams of students from business, computer science and other disciplines work together to design, plan, and run a web-based product or service. Todd’s interests and experiences in computers, business, and teaching will all converge when they spend the fall semester at Ashesi.

“At Microsoft you see tech and business teams working together, at Northwestern you see the same, and you can create this value.” Todd said. “It’s a sensible step for us to see that young Africans can be doing the same thing. We’ve seen the power of entrepreneurship in the US, and we know it can be just as powerful in Africa.”

Todd doesn’t just teach entrepreneurship, he also provides funding and guidance to help entrepreneurial companies grow in his role as a managing director of Divergent Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Seattle. By contrast, Ruth chooses to immerse herself wholly in work for Ashesi. After years of creating the annual reports Ashesi sends out, she has taught a young employee to take over that role. This gives Ruth more time to focus on strategic fundraising. Ruth’s efforts are critical in securing money the organization can use to grow. Although all her work is technically as a volunteer, she says she treats it like a job, which helps her maintain her engagement and keep a clear focus.

“I was very thoughtful in picking Ashesi. I feel like it’s an extraordinarily leveraged use of my time,” Ruth said. “Once I gave myself permission to see myself as a valuable employee that chooses to work pro bono, I realized the value I get out of doing this far exceeds the paycheck I’d be getting.”

As Ashesi grows, the Warrens have every intention of continuing with it to make sure it remains sustainable and impactful. By contributing to the education of some of Africa’s brightest young minds, they are investing in future business, philanthropy, and community leaders.

To support the organization they believe so whole-heartedly, visit www.ashesi.org. With this kind of leverage, even a little can go a long way.

Alex Otsu is a Marketing and Communications Intern with the Microsoft Alumni Network. He can be reached on Twitter @AlexOtsu.

As the Program Coordinator at Ashesi for the Impact Business Leaders Program, Emi-beth uses her Ashesi education and background as a tax consultant to grow African social enterprises.Continue reading

“The Ashesi experience was a phenomenal one. The challenge was worth it. I feel empowered to contribute to the change that Africa so desperately needs.” Continue reading

“I would encourage future Ashesi students to make sure they don’t just pass through the four walls of Ashesi, but that they allow the school’s values and principles to pass through them. The Ashesi experience will make you stand out wherever you go.” Continue reading

“Through my experience at Ashesi, I learned not to settle for a ‘no’. I rather say, what are the options or alternatives? Why no? What if? We reason through decisions and challenge them so we make them better.”

Continue reading

The thirst of Ashesi students to change Africa is incredible. Meet Grace Amponsah ’16, an Ashesi student pursuing Business Administration who is fulfilling the Ashesi vision of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership.

Grace, who attends Ashesi on scholarship, was selected for the 2015/2016 Dalai Lama Fellows program at Ashesi. She will receive $10,000 in funding to implement her girls education project, A New Dawn. The project aims to tackle barriers to education faced by girls in Berekuso, and help them develop stronger potential for success. “Teenage girls are among the most vulnerable in our society,” Grace says. “Statistics by the Ghana Health Service revealed that 750,000 teenagers between the ages of 15 to 19 get pregnant annually. I started the A New Dawn initiative to reach out to young girls and help them understand how to succeed by making better life choices.”

Ashesi is part of an exclusive list of twelve international campuses that participate in the Dalai Lama Fellows program – along with other schools such as Stanford, Oberlin, and Princeton. Grace is the first female Fellow at Ashesi, as well as the first Fellow to have a solo project chosen. As part of her Fellowship, Grace attended the Ethical Leadership Assembly in San Francisco in June 2015, where she received coaching on her project and networked with Dalai Lama Fellows from around the world.

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Phoebe Priscilla Amoako ’15 grew up in Tema, a port city in southeast Ghana. After graduating with distinction from Aburi Girls’ Senior High School, she came to Ashesi where she now studies Computer Science.

At Ashesi, Phoebe loves computer programming, something she did not know before she entered college. “Fortunately, the liberal arts curriculum that Ashesi offers made me realize that I had an interest in computer science,” she said. After graduation, she plans to establish enterprises that empower and create jobs for youth, and increase production of local Ghanaian products. In addition, she aims to establish a program which replicates Ashesi’s model of ethical leadership for students 5-17 years of age.

Nurturing critical thinkers and people who care about their community are exemplary skills Ashesi instills in our students and Phoebe is a great example. While at in Ashesi, she has gained numerous opportunities and won many awards inspiring youth in Ghana and beyond.

Pheobe has participated in programs such as:

• Summer Intern, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
•  Spring Intern, Goldman Sachs
•  2014 Fall Semester Ashesi-Macalester Exchange student
• Mentor, Tech Needs Girls
• Profile Leader, Canoe Magazine
• National Debater, Young Debaters Club
• President, Ashesi Toastmasters Chapter
• Member, African Development Initiative
• Female Spotlight, Aid for Africa

These diverse experiences provided by Ashesi University have equipped Phoebe with the necessary resources to achieve her future goals.

Read PDF profile here.