For six years, Ashesi students and alumni have had the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to projects with organizations across Africa and beyond. The opportunity is made possible through a partnership between Ashesi, the McNulty Foundation, and diiVe, a program that connects students and recent graduates with organizations through global internships.
More than 40 Ashesi students and alumni have taken part in diiVe’s internship program. Participants work with organizations on projects spanning strategy, research, technology, market expansion, healthcare, and sustainability. They also collaborate with peers from different countries and backgrounds, gaining experience navigating unfamiliar problems and perspectives.
For many, the value of the experience goes beyond the work itself. It helps participants discover strengths and gain a clearer sense of where they want to take their careers.
Gideon Tetteh ’26 experienced this firsthand through an unexpected technical project. Assigned to work with Bay Capital, a Cape Town-based wealth management firm, he helped develop a solution that could read client documents, generate intelligence summaries, and track important dates.
“I came in unsure I belonged in a consulting or technical space, and I left having built something real for a real client.”
For Gifty Quansah ’24, collaboration was one of the biggest lessons from her internship. As Research Lead on a market expansion project, she worked with teammates who brought different perspectives and approaches to the work. The experience strengthened her research and problem-solving skills while teaching her how to navigate different working styles.
Cyril Kuornoo ’22 found something different through his experience. While working on a project for the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, he developed a deeper interest in strategy and business analysis.
“The program helped me realize that I genuinely enjoy solving complex, open-ended business problems,” he shared. “Most importantly, it gave me the confidence to pursue a career path that was different from the one I had originally started in.”
Across the six-year partnership, Ashesi participants have contributed to projects in healthcare, social impact, sustainability, tourism, legal access, and business strategy. Their work has supported organizations including Reach Digital Health, Art School Africa, Shared Value Africa, and the V&A Waterfront.
While each participant’s journey is unique, their reflections point to a common theme: the opportunity to apply what they have learned while discovering new possibilities for their futures.
As another cohort prepares to join the program, the partnership continues to create opportunities for Ashesi students and alumni to learn through experience and discover where their skills can take them.
