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News from 2004
Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec
2004 school year begins
Feb 2004
The 2004 academic year
officially began on February 23rd. This is the beginning of Ashesi's third year of instruction and we are looking forward to many new and exciting activities throughout the year. Ashesi's junior class will be delving into their chosen major fields, and will be looking forward to participating in corporate internships in the summer term. Sophomore students will be
involved in a year of exploration where they will be taking courses in both business and computer science that will help them make the decision about which field to head into for major study. Freshman will be taking courses that will be unlike anything they have experienced in the past - courses that will challenge them to think critically and develop their own solutions to philosophical and ethical questions.
Ashesi hosts dinner with Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Feb 2004
 On February 10th Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. Director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research, gave a rousing talk about his new book and PBS television series America Behind the Color Line with an intimate group of Ashesi supporters at in Seattle. Prof. Gates, who is on Ashesi's Advisory Board, described the experiences that led him to explore the lives of African Americans across the United States through a series of candid interviews.
Prof. Gates stated that today even though more African Americans than ever before live a middle-class lifestyle, the percentage of African Americans living at or below the poverty line has remained the same since the 60's. Through his research, Professor Gates is working to develop strategies that will allow more African Americans to escape the cycle of poverty in which many families are trapped. Together with Ashesi Trustee, Prof. Kwame Anthony Appiah of Princeton University, Gates has developed an after school program that encourages academic achievement from its students. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School program teaches inner city youth about African and African American history. As an advisor to Ashesi University, Prof. Gates is helping to develop an African studies curriculum at Ashesi.
 Prof. Gates' remarks were followed by a moving speech by Patrick Awuah, President of Ashesi University Foundation who read a poem written by Ashesi staff member Mohammed Osumanu. Mohammed's poem shares how his experiences both working and taking a course at Ashesi University have impacted his outlook on life. Following his talk, Patrick participated in a question and answer session with Prof. Gates. The two fielded questions about Ashesi's program and the Ashesi's impact not only Africans but also African Americans. Both Patrick and Prof. Gates agreed that the development of the African continent will have an effect on how people of African descent are perceived world-wide. Prof. Gates, went further to describe Ashesi as "one of the most interesting things happening on the African continent today."
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WWU professor donates 500 books to Ashesi's library
Feb 2004
Prof. William Wallace, an English language scholar at Western Washington University (WWU), donated over 500 books from his personal collection to Ashesi's library. Prof. Wallace, who recently retired from teaching, donated volumes that he has used as sources and reference material in the university level English courses he taught at WWU. Books include copies of the 'classics' such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Byron, but also great teaching resources like the Modern Language Association's Handbook for Writers, and many historical reference texts. These works will serve as great resources for both students and faculty working in our liberal arts core curriculum. Everyone at Ashesi would like to thank Prof. Wallace for his generous contribution.
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Introducing new Ashesi faculty
Feb 2004
Ashesi would like to welcome two new faculty members to the campus in 2004. Ms. Ayorkor Mills-Tettey joined Ashesi's faculty in mid-2003 to teach in Ashesi's computer science program. Ms. Mills-Tettey holds a Masters of Science in Computer Engineering from Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering. She is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and won the Best Student Paper Award at the 21st IEEE, International Performance, Computing, and Communications Conference. Though highly recruited by software companies in the United States, Ms. Mills-Tettey decided to travel to Ghana and join Ashesi's faculty in order to return home and "make a difference."
Robert Hinson will be teaching marketing at Ashesi this year. Mr. Hinson holds an MBA from the University of Ghana, Legon. Mr Hinson holds the position of Account Director at Origin8 the leading independent advertising agency in Ghana and has worked as a Brand Consultant and Account Manager for companies such as Cannon, Microsoft, Acer, Merchant Bank, and APC. With experience as both a teacher and a professional Mr. Hinson will bring a unique perspective to the classroom. Mr. Hinson states," An effective teacher is the one who has the desire to develop continuously. I always try to use simple and "every day" examples to explain new and complex problems."
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Dean of the Haas School of Business has lunch with Ashesi supporters
Jan 2004
On January 15th, Tom Campbell, Dean of the Haas School of Business and former U.S. Congressman, spoke on behalf of Ashesi University at a lunch held a the Wild Ginger restaurant in downtown Seattle. Dean Campbell, who served as a lecturer at Ashesi during the summer of 2003, spoke about his experience teaching in Ghana. Dean Campbell required each his students to spend at least one hour with him outside the classroom during the quarter. Through this requirement he stated that he "had the opportunity to learn something from each of the students." He described Ashesi's student population as being very diverse, with representatives from different countries, as well as religious and economic backgrounds. He commented that the student's enthusiasm and drive was inspiring and that he sees the possibility for a bright future in Ghana. He told Ashesi supporters that the Ghanaian government is taking the right steps to open the country to more international investment and is working to reduce international debt. He believes that Ashesi's curriculum is preparing Ashesi students to be leaders in Ghana's future, and hopes to see some of his students as members of Parliament or even President someday.
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Volunteer profile: Joel Hanson
Jan 2004
 Joel Hanson is one of our newest volunteers at Ashesi University Foundation. Joel graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 1999. After graduating, he worked on local political races and was an activist on behalf of various environmental causes. Joel recently returned from China where he spent 6 months teaching English at a University in Hunan Province.
In his own words:
"Several years ago, I learned about Ashesi through a friend. I quickly became a believer in the ambition of Ashesi. Education is a defining force in my life. My college education emphasized initiative and personal responsibility. The skills I acquired have allowed me to do things I could never have planned, like heading off to China to teach English.
Upon returning from China, I finally decided that I wanted help Ashesi instead of simply watching. My main project at Ashesi University
Foundation has been to develop a strategy to expand awareness of Ashesi through periodicals. I've been tracking magazines that might publish a story on Ashesi and perusing the articles of potential authors.
The staff members at Ashesi are great to work with and they've given me a sense of ownership on this project. I know I can take this project as far as I want. It feels great to finally be a part of this endeavor rather than just an observer. My volunteer work with Ashesi has been thought provoking and satisfying."
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