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• Ashesi students volunteer at the Accra International Marathon (Sep 2008)
• Former European Commissioner Fritz Bolkestein speaks at Ashesi (Sep 2008)
• Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Suzanne Buchele leaves a lasting impression (Aug 2008)
• Ashesi welcomes Class of 2012 (Aug 2008)
• Alumnus selected for Microsoft Research internship (Jul 2008)
• Ashesi expands Service Learning Programme (Jul 2008)
• Nokia sponsors Mobile Internet Programme at Ashesi (Jul 2008)

Ashesi students volunteer at the Accra International Marathon
September, 2008

On Sunday September 28, Ashesi students, alumni and some members of staff volunteered at the second annual Accra International Marathon.  Runners participating in the full marathon, which covered a total distance of 42kilometers, ran from the Ghanaman Sports Centre to La Pleasure Beach. In addition a half marathon walk started near the Valco roundabout in Tema and ended at the La Pleasure Beach.

The Accra International Marathon (AIM) is designed to support the efforts of the Longevity Project, a local NGO whose mission is to increase the life expectancy and quality of life of Ghanaians. See www.longevityghana.com. The marathon was organized to highlight the Longevity Project’s goal to increase public awareness of the link between health and life style choices.

Participants included people from Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. Runners included children as young as nine and adults up to sixty-seven.

Team Ashesi helped with the transportation of runners and walkers to the starting points and distributed water, electrolyte drinks and energy gels to participants.  After the race was finished Ashesi students helped clean up after the runners and walkers. According to Adwoa Tutu, Class of 2010, “I find this a fun way to spend a Sunday morning. I consider service a great way to improve the lives of others and I’m happy to be here.”

Community Service is one of the key components of Ashesi’s mission. Students are encouraged to give something back to their communities and Ashesi all students participate in volunteer projects before graduations.  For example, students have worked to improve child literacy, started projects to supply clean drinking water to poor urban communities, raised fund for people living with HIV/AIDS, and taught business courses to Liberian refugees.

Former European Commissioner Speaks at Ashesi
September, 2008

Prof. Frits Bolkestein walked into Ashesi’s fully packed Lecture Hall 4, on September 22, 2008 at exactly 4:30 pm. Students, faculty and staff as well as alumni were present to hear him address issues concerning Europe and the rest of the world.

Prof. Bolkestein's presentation, which used a very interactive question and answer approach, covered topics including aid, foreign policy, world trade, the European Union and Ghana’s discovery of oil. “I hope Ghanaian leaders are able to manage the wealth that comes with the discovery of a resource like oil” he mentioned.

“It is a relief that there’s an institution like yours that focuses on creating the right leaders for our time. I’m very optimistic about your generation,” he added. He also answered questions about challenges and successes during his time in office.

According to Akuba Boakye, Class of 2010 “it was refreshing to listen to Prof. Bolkestein discuss Europe, he has such an incredible brain. He was able to engage all of us—those who had studied economics and trade dynamics and those who hadn’t.”

Prof. Bolkestein is currently the president of the Telders-foundation, the think-tank connected with the Dutch Liberal Party. He is a member of the supervisory board of the Central Bank of The Netherlands and a non-executive director of Air France-KLM. Prior to his current activities, he was European Commissioner for the internal market, taxation and the customs for five years.

He also held several positions within the Shell Group in East Africa, Central America, Indonesia, London and Paris. He has a Law degree from the University of Leiden where he is currently a visiting professor. Prof. Frits Bolkestein studied mathematics, philosophy, Greek and economics at the Universities of Oregon (USA), Amsterdam and London.
 

Fulbright Scholar, Dr.Suzanne Buchele leaves a lasting impression
August, 2008

Ashesi’s campus feels a little different this semester.  After two wonderful years, Dr. Suzanne Buchele has returned to Southwestern University in Texas.  However her legacy on Ashesi’s campus has remained.

Dr. Suzanne Buchele, her husband Steve, and three children moved from Texas to Ghana in 2006.  Originally they had planned to stay just one year but requested their Fulbright Grant be extended for a maximum two years so they could remain at Ashesi and continue their work in Ghana.

Looking back it is amazing to think that Suzanne was only with us for two years – she helped us accomplish so much.  When Suzanne arrived in 2006 her presence made an immediate impact on campus.  Her experience attending and then teaching at top liberal arts colleges in the United States gave her an intimate sense for what Ashesi is attempting to become. And Suzanne was not one to stand by and watch, she offered to help and became an active part of the campus. 

While at Ashesi, Dr. Buchele taught courses in Computer Graphics, Software Engineering, Discrete Mathematics and helped develop the laboratory component for Programming I.  Suzanne helped organize our computer science department, established and chaired the Academic Programming Committee for over two years and was a vocal leader in academic policy discussions.  Dr. Buchele helped guide Ashesi’s development of a campus Honor Code and can be credited for countless improvements in our policies regarding faculty and students.

In 2007 when Ashesi’s Dean of Academic Affairs was forced to take leave of absence for a year Suzanne graciously took up the mantle and became Acting Dean in addition to her teaching duties.  Suzanne’s knowledge and experience helped us guide the university through a year of immense growth in students, faculty and staff.   

However Dr. Buchele’s impact in Ghana was not simply isolated to the Ashesi campus.  Dr. Buchele worked to test and deploy the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project, in Ghana.  She worked with primary school teachers in a government school in    Accra to help them learn how to teach with the new technology.

The Buchele house also became a hub for social activities among Ashesi faculty and staff.  The generous Buchele family hosted many dinners and celebrations in their home

“Suzanne brought to Ashesi a wealth of experience from Southwestern. I will miss her energy, enthusiasm and commitment to Ashesi’s mission,” states Ashesi President, Patrick Awuah. Araba Amuasi a 2007 Computer Science graduate, “Dr. Buchele had a profound impact on me, both as a lecturer and friend. She is an excellent model for women in computer science.”

Ashesi welcomes Class of 2012
August, 2008

On August 18^th the Ashesi University community welcomed 98 members of the Class of 2012 to campus.  Ashesi starts every academic year with an orientation week for freshman that allows them to get to know their fellow class-mates, learn more about university life and have some fun.  The new students were welcomed by faculty, staff, some alumni and continuing students.  

We are confident that the class of 2012 is filled with great students and future leaders as we were able to select the best from among 498 applicants this year.  Through our financial aid program, nearly $79,000 in grants and loans will be distributed this year to the freshman class, with an average of $3,281 of aid awarded per financial aid recipient. The Class of 2012  is comprised of 46% women and 54% men, and includes international students from Nigeria, United States, South Africa, Guinea and Palestine.  The number of senior secondary schools represented among this incoming class is also diverse, with graduates from 37 different schools.

According to Ahmed Moughrabi, he decided to come to Ashesi because of his sister, a student at Ashesi. “I’ve seen my sister positively transformed over the time she’s been here. I want to be different too and I know I will enjoy my stay at Ashesi.”

Diana Dayaka Osei, another member of the Class of 2012, wants to be an IT expert and believes an Ashesi education will expose her to the courses in technology she will need to be successful. “I was able to enroll at Ashesi because of the very generous financial aid program.  I expect to develop my skills as a person over the next four years. I know it’s going to be challenging but I am up to the task. I am pretty excited, actually.”

Alumnus selected for Microsoft Research internship
July, 2008

David Darkwa, Class of 2008 was recruited for an internship with Microsoft Research India, in Bangalore. He is the second Ashesi student to be selected for their Summer internship programme.  David will be working with the Technology for Emerging Markets Group in Bangalore, India from June to August 2008. He will work with Dr. Kentaro Toyama, Assistant Director for Microsoft Research India.

David majored in Management Information Systems and helped found the Ashesi Investment Society and served as the organization’s Vice-President. Additionally David worked as a tutor at the Math Resource Centre where he assisted fellow students in learning difficult math concepts. “Ashesi has definitely taught me how to multi-task!” he says.

David was not simply focused on academics. He loves art, and when he has the time, creates works of his own. “Art is a great imaginative tool," he stated. "When I do not understand in concept, I draw a picture and it makes understanding easier.”  In his free time he worked as a cartoonist for a start-up company.

David is excited about the opportunity to travel to India and interacting with professional software developers from across the globe.  He hopes he will learn a lot from the experience and looks forward to sharing his knowledge with others once he returns.

David believes pursing a degree in Management and Information Systems was a good decision. He believes he is prepared to help businesses choose the right technology and software to improve their products.

Ashesi expands Service Learning Programme
July, 2008

The Career Services Centre has expanded Ashesi's student community service initiative by launching the Ashesi Service Learning Programme.  The programme seeks to broaden and enrich the students skills and experience through a wide variety of volunteer community service projects at organizations across Ghana.

All Ashesi students are required to complete at least thirty-six hours of community service before graduation from the University.  This experience is designed to help students better understand the challenges facing our society and actively participate in creating solutions to these problems.  In addition, Ashesi students participate in a seminar entitled "Leadership as Service", in which students have a chance to interact with leaders from Ghanaian non-profit organizations and reflect on the role leaders can play in improving their communities. 

During the summer break several Ashesi students partnered with students from Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University (Qatar Campus) to carry out volunteer projects in Ghana's South and Central Regions. The students participated in a wide range of activities including farming, teaching and the construction of a new school.

One summer volunteer, Bolaji Buremoh, Class of 2009 stated "Amidst all the work we had to do, we had a good time.  We learned a lot and admired the passion the students we worked with had for the development of Ghana."

Nokia Sponsors Mobile Internet Programme at Ashesi
July, 2008

On July 17th, 2008 Nokia introduced a new mobile internet course to a number of African universities, including Ashesi University College in Ghana.

The Mobile Internet Programme (MIP), an initiative borne out of partnership between Nokia and EPROM (Entrepreneurial Programming and Research on Mobiles), aims to encourage University students to develop mobile phone applications for use in emerging markets such as Africa.

The Mobile Internet Programme will have tremendous impact on internet usage, short message services (SMS) and communication through mobile telephony in Africa. The course also aims to provide employment opportunities and encourage new business ideas among Ghanaian youth, while they invest in the future of technology in Africa.

In May, during the launch of Fon TV, which enables subscribers to watch television on their mobile phones, Joshua Peprah, Director in charge of Regulations and Licensing at the National Communications Authority (NCA), stated that mobile phone penetration in Ghana had reached 36% by the end of 2007 and is estimated to hit 50% by 2010. This highlights the growing importance of mobile technologies. 

Nokia has donated 20 mobile devices from its wide range to the Ashesi University College to show its commitment to this progressive program. The mobile phones will be used to set up a laboratory for the course’s practical work.

“Nokia’s vision is a world where everyone can be connected. This project provides an opportunity for Ghanaian youth to connect with mobile technology and play a role in developing relevant and impactful services to help connect more Africans,” said Loren Shuster Vice President Sales Nokia Sub-Saharan Africa. “Nokia is committed to Africa and we see enormous potential in this continent. Our commitment is to make the widest range of products and services available locally, nurture local talent, grow the ecosystem and uplift the communities in which we operate. This project combines all of those elements and we are very excited to support its roll out across Africa.”   

The faculty of the Ashesi University welcomed the new course positively and encouraged the students to utilize the resources effectively. Some of the students attending the course have expressed gratitude to Nokia for creating such an entrepreneurial opportunity for them and, ultimately, the community. Joseph Amegatcher, an Ashesi student enrolled in the course stated, “the lectures move at breakneck speed, with new information each day. However, I am having a lot of fun in the class and am glad I have this opportunity!”

With the world rapidly becoming a global village, the students are pleased to be a part of this phenomenon through this programme. The programme will contribute immensely in developing Information Technology and Mobile Services in Ghana and also in educating the citizens on the potential of mobile technology.

Dr. Nathan Amanquah, Head of Ashesi’s Computer Science Department and lecturer for the course explains the importance of this curriculum for Ashesi and its students; “the goal of the course is to equip our students with the skills needed to design mobile web applications, taking into account the context in which mobiles are used.” He believes this technology is especially important in the Ghanaian market. “Mobile phones have quickly spread in Ghana and have opened a huge market for new technology and services.  Participants in this course will be able to address the needs of this niche.”

The MIP will be run in 10 African countries, with the Ashesi Univeristy College, Acrra,Ghana being the first to launch the course. Other universities include: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; University of Nairobi, Kenya; Kigali Institute of Science and technology, Rwanda; University of South Africa, SA; Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Lagos State University, Nigeria; Ecole Polytechnic de Thies, Senegal; Makarere University, Uganda and the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The course will also motivate youth in Africa to believe that many of the successful web services developed for the African continent will not come from the West but rather from the collective abilities of the thousands of computer science students graduating each year in Africa.

Nokia and Ashesi University faculty look forward to the MIP becoming part of the school curriculum, offering course credits, and equipping African youth with skills to develop applications for mobile phones essential for improving every day life in Africa.

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