A New Year. A New Horizon.
This academic year opened with another wave of firsts at Ashesi. The University welcomed its inaugural cohorts of MBA and Intelligent Computing Systems master’s students, alongside the fourth class in Mechatronic Engineering. Adding to the moment, Ashesi also officially started its new dual intake system, with Cohort One of the Class of 2029 beginning their journey on campus.
Our pioneer MBA class represents business leaders who bring depth of experience, diversity of perspectives, and a commitment to transforming industries.
Among them is Twum-Ampofo M’27, who has spent over a decade building a career that links business growth with social impact. As a Business Development Manager at Oyster Agribusiness Ltd., she works with 2,000+ smallholder farmers to expand sustainability initiatives.
“I want to engage in meaningful discourse at Ashesi, connect with a wider network of changemakers in my cohort and beyond,” she says.
“I hope to use the skills and knowledge acquired to solve problems in my field. If even one person benefits from such work, I’ll be truly fulfilled.”
Alongside the MBA cohort, the first students in our Master’s in Intelligent Computing Systems also joined Ashesi to grow as leaders at the frontiers of AI, data, and cybersecurity.
As a machine learning engineer, Boye is passionate about building inclusive tech. Prior to joining the Computing Systems program, she developed systems that enable voice commands in Ghanaian languages for banking. She also prototyped Ghanaian sign language translation for e-learning. Now, Boye aims to create even more solutions that make a tangible impact, one person at a time.
Meanwhile, the newest Mechatronic Engineering master’s students arrived on campus with the same sense of anticipation as their peers in the MBA and Intelligent Computing Systems programs.
Since January 2022, the program has continued to draw students like Shadrack Kesse M’27, eager to pursue careers in robotics, automation, and advanced production.
Kesse has been turning ideas into Computer-Aided Design solutions through his company, STANDCRAFT Designs. As a master’s student at Ashesi, he is ready to take on the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“At Ashesi, it seems ideas don’t just stay on paper,” says Kesse. “There are resources, mentors, and financial support to help bring them to life.
Together, these new cohorts highlight the steady growth of Ashesi’s graduate education and the commitment of our students to apply their skills in ways that strengthen organizations, industries, and communities.
As our graduate programs grow, so too does our undergraduate community. This year, with our first-ever dual intake, Cohort One of the Class of 2029 began their Ashesi journey alongside peers from across Africa and the world.
One Bond, Different Paths: The Story of the Yartey Twins
As twins, Christian and Christine Yartey may share the same birthday and a love for football, but their ambitions run on parallel tracks—his in engineering, hers in business. At Ashesi, they’re set to bring the same mix of drive, joy, and teamwork that has defined their sibling hood so far.
The Gap Year That Changed Everything for Lorna Nelson
During her gap year after completing high school, Lorna got to experience an internship at cancer research firm Yemaachi Biotechnology. It lit up a passion for Biological Engineering, which saw her join the pioneering class of Ashesi’s Biological Engineering program.
Derrick Owusu’s Vision for the Future of Accessible Technology
Derrick Owusu’s love for computing eventually grew into a mission to design tools for accessibility. Joining Ashesi’s Computer Science program, from the Mampong Senior High Technical School for the Deaf, he is inspired by the inclusive community he has found on campus.
Naadirah Tanko Finds A Perfect Fit in Mechatronic Engineering at Ashesi
When Naadirah joined the Ashesi Innovation Experience in 2023, building a conveyor belt for medicine production sparked her fascination with engineering. Drawn to robotics and inspired by Ashesi’s new Mechatronic Engineering program, she chose the field as the perfect blend of her interests.
Inspired by Her Father’s Ashesi Student Journey, Aduodeh ’29 Charts Hers
Danielle ’29 grew up hearing her father, Daniel Aduodeh ’10, share stories about how Ashesi shaped him. Those stories sparked her curiosity, and she made a decision to join the community someday. Now pursuing Computer Science at Ashesi, she is ready to create her own Ashesi stories.
Meet Moyinloluwa Temitope ’29: A Tinkerer at Heart
Growing up, Temitope loved taking gadgets apart and putting them back together. As a Mechatronic Engineering undergraduate student at Ashesi, he hopes to deepen his understanding of how to build machines and infrastructure that tackle real-world challenges, from agriculture to aerospace.
Ousman Ceesay’s Journey of Belief and Curiosity
Guided by the Wolof proverb, “Believe in yourself and never give up,” Ousman Ceesay ’29 turned a childhood knack for fixing broken tools into a passion for Mechanical Engineering. Now at Ashesi, he is eager to join leadership and entrepreneurship clubs to gain the skills needed to launch his venture.
Darius Vaye ’29’s Lifelong Fascination with Coding
At nine, Darius was captivated by a talking device—a moment that sparked his love for technology. After moving from Liberia to Ghana, he discovered programming in high school. Now a Computer Science major at Ashesi, he hopes to build robotics and tools that inspire the same wonder.
Undergraduate move-in day was also full of excitement for proud parents who came with their wards, and were also ready to start a new chapter. We asked some to share their optimism and reflections with the larger class, and here is what they had to say.
As Cohort One of the Class of 2029 begins their Ashesi journey, we look ahead to welcoming the next group of students in January. If you are yet to apply, Cohort Two is your chance to join Ashesi this coming semester.
