Over one hundred Graduates of Ghanaian parentage were honoured by the Ghana Mission and the Ghanaian Community in Washington DC at a colourful ceremony on Saturday, June 21, 2008. The event, a brain-child of Ambassador Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, started with sixty Graduates in 2007, with College and High School Graduates from Maryland, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC and its immediate environs. This year, the ceremony had several participants from remote States of the U.S.A, including Florida and Texas. Present were personalities such as Dr. John Allotey, a Scientist and Medical Practitioner; Dr. Mrs. Martha Sedegah, Senior Scientist of the U S Navy Medical Research Centre and National Malaria Research Centre; Mrs. Mary Damuah, National Chairperson of Council of Ghanaian Associations and top Executive members of the Association. There were also several distinguished personalities and traditional rulers of the Diaspora. Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei in his welcome remarks exhorted the graduants not to be oblivious of life's challenges. He counselled them to be cautious in their preferences of professional choices. "Across disciplinary selection will put you ahead on the job market, seek counsel and with good sense of time management, you will make it; remember, chance favours the prepared mind" he advised. Dr. Bawuah-Edusei further motivated the graduants by revealing to them some very good examples of U.S.-trained-Ghanaians-Achievers who have helped make Ghana great by giving back to the Ghanaian society what they have acquired in U.S.A. education. He paid glowing tribute to Ken Ofori Attah, who introduced the lucrative Stock Exchange in Ghana through his company, Databank and Patrick Ewuah, a Microsoft founding Executive, who has contributed to Tertiary Education by building an ICT-biased College known as Ashesi University - one of the first private institutions in Ghana, Dr. Kofi Amoah was also praised for introducing Western Union to Ghana. Other Diasporans acknowledged by Dr. Bawuah-Edusei are Dr. Manny Tufuor who has built the first major hospital in rural Ghana, in addition to a stone quarry and a factory that manufactures bitumen, just to help mother Ghana flourish; and Sandy Osei Agyeman who has transferred his multimillion beauty product factory from Chicago to Accra to create jobs for Ghanaians. The road to success, he emphasized, is not an easy one, as there are periods of difficulties and challenges. He therefore advised them to use God's guidance and Ghanaian positive cultural attributes pursue success. He exhorted the graduates to stay away from drugs and abstain from sex until they were capable bearing the responsibilities that go with parenting. Ambassador Kwame Bawuah-Edusei admonished them not to allow the fear of failure to block their zeal to move on to excellence, as Ghana needs them. "Never envy, think positive and good things will come your way". Dr. John Allotey, in his motivational Speech said the US affords great opportunities for all. He challenged the Graduates to have positive goals and cultivate the right spiritual and mental disposition as that will foster the right career choices that are unlimited. Positive thinking, he hinted is rewarding, as one gives birth to what one fixes his thoughts on. The world, he observed, is changing at a dizzying pace, giving cause to the need to reshape one's career to meet demands on the job market. He strongly advised the Graduates to look into the Health Sector where there are unlimited opportunities, including the Care of the Aged, a present day Health Discipline with a huge market. Dr. Allotey reminded them of the wealth hidden in Agriculture ready to be explored by the adventurous, and encouraged them to consider that and other lucrative areas as well. Dr. Mrs. Martha Sedegah, a Top Malaria Researcher in her contribution underscored the major assets Ghana has in her educated youths. Using herself as an example, she stressed that one needs not limit himself in life, because with hard work and determination, no matter one’s location, the background of parents, or financial status, and peculiar circumstances, one can, achieve something in life. Dr. Mrs. Sedegah expounded the rewards of enquiring minds and windfalls that come as a result of probing into the unknown. She concluded by admonishing all not to resign themselves to their present achieved status, but endeavour to aspire higher.