Thank You to Ashesi’s Community of Contributors and Friends

Patrick Awuah, Ashesi University President: 

Class of 2017, congratulations on reaching this important milestone in your lives.

Let us also take a moment, to thank all those whose contributions have helped bring you to this day.

Take a moment to visualize all those who crossed your mind as you applauded:

their faces, their names, and the roles they played in getting you here.

Who was on your list?

My list included people you would expect:

Your families who nurtured and supported you to this stage in your life’s journey;

the faculty who guided you through your studies here;

the administrators who invited you to join our community; who counseled you through difficulty, who advised you on career choices;

who raised funding for this institution and for your scholarships;

who worked relentlessly to create and maintain this nurturing environment we call Ashesi.

But my list also included people you probably didn’t include on yours, or maybe you did.

My list, you see, spans seventeen years:

Two years of preparation, and fifteen years since we first started classes at Ashesi University College.

So my list includes my family;

Odeefuo Oteng-Korankye II, whose foresight and warm embrace made possible our campus here in Berekuso;

and the elders and youth leaders of Berekuso who supported Nana Oteng-Korankye’s decision.

My list included my colleagues at Microsoft Corporation;

the philanthropists and foundations who have supported Ashesi’s mission;

members of our Board of Trustees and Board of Directors, past and present.

My list includes the architects and engineers who built this place;

former professors and administrators of Ashesi who helped launch this institution.

My list includes alumni of Ashesi, whose accomplishments and character have driven the reputation of their alma mater.

If we added all our lists together, we would probably still not fully capture just how much effort has gone into making this day possible for you, Class of 2017.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all those who have made this day possible.

We come here today, as an expression of our connectedness.

We come here today, to celebrate your accomplishments.

We come here today, as an expression of our belief in your promise as a force for good in the world.

So Class of 2017, we have great hope for the future and your role in it.

I leave you with these thoughts to ponder on your Commencement Day,