September 10, 2017
Ashesi welcomed 275 freshmen to our community on September 6, 2017. The Class of 2021, which was selected from over 1200 applicants, is shaping up to be one of Ashesi’s most diverse yet, with students from 19 countries and 77 high schools from across the globe. Over their first week, freshmen engaged in a packed yet exciting schedule of activities, from Move-in Day through to Parent’s Day, as part of their orientation at Ashesi.
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Matriculation ceremony
The matriculation ceremony, a formal ceremony to officially welcome students to Ashesi, took place at the Archer-Cornfield Courtyard. Present were the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Professor Victor Amoako Temeng, and members of the Ashesi community. Speaking at the ceremony, Ashesi Founder and President Dr. Patrick Awuah welcomed the new members of the community, urging them to help molld Ashesi into a stronger institution.
Ashesi is what you make it
“You’re going to be here for four years. Your experience at Ashesi will not depend on what I do, or what the faculty do,” he said. “Your experience here will depend on what you do. Ashesi will be what you make it. What’s inside of you? What’s in your hearts? What is it that you intend to do here? Who do you want to be when you graduate from Ashesi? And when you look back from then, what would you have accomplished? You are writing the archives of the future, with respect to what Ashesi stands for and what Ashesi will mean in the world today and in the future. In a globalized world, the things that you do here today, the things that you do in your lives tomorrow, the things you will do twenty or thirty years from now, will not only write the future archives of the world, but will have profound consequences for many generations to follow us.”
Other speakers at the ceremony also welcomed the freshmen, encouraging them to be become active contributors to campus life and the community.
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A community welcoming to all
“You have filled our campus with renewed excitement, for which we are very grateful,” said Abdul Madhi, Dean of Students and Community Engagement. “With a new academic year comes opportunities for personal growth, and we look forward to encouraging you along this stimulating journey of learning and discovery. We encourage you to learn from each other in a variety of viewpoints represented in our diverse community. We ask you to join with us in the values we cherish as an academic institution to create a campus essence that promotes awareness of, respect for, and an attitude of celebrating diversity that is welcoming to all.”
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Calabash ceremony
Following the matriculation ceremony, the Ashesi Student Council led freshmen in the calabash ceremony. Started three years ago, the ceremony is a highlight of orientation week, where executives of the Student Council serve water to freshmen in calabashes, symbolizing Ghana’s traditional customs of hospitality, where visitors to one’s home are welcomed with a drink of water. The ceremony takes place against the backdrop of rich Ghanaian traditional music, drumming and dancing.
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