Ashesi University last Saturday celebrated its 10th graduating ceremony at the school’s plush Cornfield and Archer Courtyard, located at its campus in Berekuso, Eastern Region.

A little over 100 students of the Class of 2014 obtained their degrees at the short graduating ceremony, supported by over 1,000 family, friends, students and alumni.

Provost of Ashesi, Dr. Marcia Grant in her opening address read a note on friendship from Burmese Aung San Suu Kyi, who has become an international symbol for peaceful resistance, reminding the class about the importance of holding on to the friendships they forged during their time at the university.

Guest speaker, Kwaku Sakyi-Addo in an outstanding speech to the graduating students asked the graduates to put their knowledge to use in the country.

 “We have work to do. Ghana, has work to do. But if anybody can and must do it, if anyone can make things happen, then it’s you! It’s you because you didn’t drop out. It’s you because you are young and unencumbered and invincible. It’s you because you have been through Ashesi. And Ashesi has been through you.” 

“Our country needs people who are not just out to make a living but are living to make a difference,” he told the class.

Mr Sakyi-Addo shared a grim data on inequality gaps in Ghana and urged the graduates to remember that there is dire need of their knowledge to salvage the towering challenges facing the country.

“46 per cent  - that’s close to half of Ghanaian adults are illiterate.  There are 10 doctors to every 100,000 people.  Only one of three Ghanaians have pipe-borne water; in the Upper East Region, only seven out of every 100 people do”, Mr Sakyi-Addo revealed.

'Ghana needs people who’ll speak up for the poor; people who will be the voice of the sheanut pickers of the Savannah, the weary and worn cocoa farmers of the south, and the fatigued and forlorn fisher-folk of our fouled beaches. 

"We need people like you with more than just a high IQ.  We need you because you have a high EQ [Ethical Quotient] too", he told the graduating class. 

Class Speaker for the graduates, Jeffrey Odame-Koranteng, shared stories about the contributions the Class of 2014 had made to Ashesi, and how they would learn from that to affect the world.

“We have changed the world- our world, Ashesi - in more ways than one…Today we sit here as men! Women! And leaders. Like the Black Stars of Ghana, we are ready to take on the world. We might falter, we might fall, we might complain, but rest assured we will not rest until we’ve made our mark”, said Odame-Koranteng.

Dr. Patrick Awuah,  Founder and President of Ashesi University also presented awards to three students – George S. Neequaye, Ruweidatu Salifu and Francis D. Vogbe  – for their exemplary commitment to representing Ashesi’s core values of “Scholarship, Leadership and Citizenship.”

The awards are the highest that could be given to an Ashesi student.

The Class of 2014 also presented a gift of GH₵2,400 to Ashesi’s President and Board Chairman, towards helping start the university’s new Engineering programme.

Presenting the gift on behalf of the Class, Andrew Bimpong  said, “Ashesi will remain our own, and we hope you accept this as a symbol of the support it will always receive from us, and the commitment we have made towards its growth.”

Saturday’s ceremony was the first time the university held graduations at its Berekuso campus.