There's no other university in the world where my story would have been possible. "
When Maxwell Aladago ’18 first arrived at Ashesi from a small farming community in Northern Ghana thanks to generous scholarship support, he barely knew how to use a computer. By graduation, he had become a prolific Artificial Intelligence researcher, developing algorithms for various applications including the detection of malaria parasites in a blood smear. His doctoral studies at Dartmouth College now focus on developing AI tools for solving some of Africa’s most pressing challenges – from healthcare to agriculture.
Gifts of all sizes to Ashesi enable students like Maxwell to access and experience a transformative education that prepares them for a lifetime of positive impact in Africa and in the world.
64%
of donations in support of students through our history are $500 or less
~50%
of students at Ashesi have received donor-funded scholarships
100%
of research projects led by faculty are funded by donors and grants
Support for students comes in different forms: Funding scholarships; enabling extracurricular learning; strengthening faculty and research; funding critical capital infrastructure and equipment; and supporting our administrative and fundraising efforts.
For one out of every two students, a scholarship has made all the difference between attending Ashesi or not. Gifts of all sizes from individuals and foundations help ensure that the Ashesi education is affordable for all students who qualify, regardless of social or economic circumstances.
Our experiential learning programs provide students with real-world experiences that prepare them for ethical, entrepreneurial leadership. With donor support, students are able to engage in applied projects, internships, and fieldwork that allow them to gain global perspectives, and apply what they are learning in service.
Professorships and Fellowships support and honour exceptional faculty at the university. If the donation is an endowment, the university invests it and uses the interest generated to finance a portion of the professor’s salary or research expenses. These gifts are crucial for attracting and rewarding talented faculty, promoting research, and ensuring sustainable financial support for academic excellence. They honour both donors and beneficiaries.
Our research initiatives encourage student participation and are grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and societal impact. Through such engagement, students gain the experience and skills necessary for leadership in academia, industry, and beyond.
Well-designed residential and academic buildings facilitate better teaching and learning, student engagement, and overall success. This is why we are working closely with donors and partners to add more of such infrastructure on campus.
Across many teams at Ashesi, volunteers contribute their time, expertise, and experiences to strengthen our work. Volunteers engage in fundraising advocacy, serve as guest lecturers, executives-in-residence, and technical advisors. From anywhere around the world, volunteers can support Ashesi’s work.
You may make a donation towards these needs in three broad ways.
Giving through the Ashesi Fund enables donors to pool their contributions and empower the university with the flexibility to make a difference in students’ lives in all the ways described above and more, adjusting for the greatest need at any given time.
Making a restricted gift enables you to direct your gift to any of the specific areas that you especially care about. Restricted gifts tend to be larger in size than unrestricted gifts, thereby ensuring that the purpose of the gift can be accomplished with or without pooled funds.
Endowed gifts are gifts that keep on giving. They may be restricted to specific purposes, or unrestricted. Ashesi Foundation invests endowed funds and uses the interest generated to finance the specified goals of these funds into perpetuity.
Contact us to make a pledge or discuss an endowment or naming opportunity: foundation@ashesi.org.
Reeta Roy
"We have seen Ashesi students turn opportunity into impact. Wherever you go, they stand out because of their discipline, because of their vision, and because of their commitment. Quite simply, Ashesi students and alumni are changing the world."
Sangu Delle
"For me, an investment in Ashesi is an investment in creating real change. It’s the difference between investing in one organization or investing in an incubator that will generate thousands of people who will go on to change the world."
Vanessa Amoako
“As an alumna I have witnessed firsthand the value of an Ashesi education on my life and career path. Giving back to Ashesi is an opportunity to further our mission, and to support other students across Africa.”
Gifts of all sizes help Ashesi sustain impactful teaching, research and learning; remove social and economic barriers; and ultimately deepen a transformative experience that prepares our graduates for a life of impact.
For additional guidance on ways to support Ashesi, please contact the Ashesi University Foundation at: foundation@ashesi.org
Unrestricted gifts to Ashesi directly support the University’s key programs and initiatives and operating expenses of the U.S. Foundation. To support the growth of Ashesi’s fundraising capacity, 5% of all restricted gifts are used to support administrative and fundraising expenses.
Ashesi University Foundation operates in strict conformance with IRS guidelines. The Trustees of the Foundation have complete discretion and control over the ultimate disposition of any contributions received by the organization. While donors may suggest that their gifts be used for a specific purpose, these requests are non-binding. This ensures that gifts made to Ashesi University Foundation are tax-deductible and that the Foundation fulfills its duties and obligations as a U.S. tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Ashesi Foundation’s Tax ID Number is 91-1997089.