“In the next ten years, I don’t say I ‘hope’ to see, but rather, I know I ‘will’ see a lot more of our students in influential and strategic places around the world,” – Esi E. Ansah (PhD), Assistant Professor, Business Administration Department at Ashesi University.
I joined Ashesi officially in 2008, but had been an admirer right from my first encounter with Patrick at a conference in Washington D.C. in 2004 or so. I realized we shared the same values and mission, and I was totally, absolutely sold! I tell people ‘Ashesi didn’t need to recruit me…I’d have brought myself anyway’. It has definitely been worthwhile and fulfilling so far, and I get thrilled each time I see my students excelling in different spheres. Some of them keep coming back for recommendations so they can enter top graduate programs around the world, enter innovative competitions, etc. My success as a teacher lies in the success of my students, and I never take that for granted.
Our impact is yet to be felt around the continent and the global community in the next ten years. I don’t say I ‘hope’ to see, but rather, I know I ‘will’ see a lot more of our students in influential and strategic places around the world; I will see us earn stripes as a solid research institution and we will serve as a shining example of the magic that can happen when academia and industry decide to work together. I think that’s our greatest strength right now, and that it will become even more pronounced…how well we bridge the gap between what goes on in the classroom and what goes on in the real world through projects, internships, research, visits etc.
When I think of Ashesi, one word that comes to mind is ‘results’, or perhaps ‘change’…positive change. One metaphor I think of is fertile ground. All the seeds we plant (all our stakeholders, and not just students) i.e., anyone who encounters us, must, and will go through change that bears good fruit/results. I think Ashesi is bigger than what we’ve ever seen or can think of now, and will continue to ‘wow’ us. Of course, that means all shoulders must be ready and against the wheel so we make it happen.
I’m grateful for the opportunity and I look forward to a more amazing future in and with Ashesi.