Daniel Seworye is the citizen leader that any community needs. His numerous talents include problem-solving, public speaking, singing, keyboard playing, and, very importantly, making friends. It does not matter who you talk to; classmates, faculty, administrators, canteen staff, security personnel, landscapers: anyone will confirm that Daniel always has a broad smile and an interesting topic for warm conversation.

Our Caught-being-good initiative is our way of regularly celebrating the small yet important acts of citizenship that make this community thrive. Caught-being-good requires that we all see the best in people and have the grace to nominate them for recognition. It is fair to say Daniel is the Caught-being-good champion. Daniel has nominated more people for Caught-being-good than anyone. It is the mark of one who is always looking out for the best in others, and through that, boosting the trust our community depends on.

He is a very active member of the Ashesi Chorale. This group has been performing at various Ashesi events including every commencement ceremony in recent years. His problem-solving skills, however, is likely his most visible trait. His sharp ability to define problems and design innovative solutions has been applied widely:

He developed a web application that teaches science and math, making these subjects easier and more enjoyable for children.

He worked with a team that tested the use of IoT technology to improve productivity for small-scale farms.

He developed a low-cost, low power pulse detector for monitoring the function of the heart.

During the pandemic, he developed a tool that synthesized Covid-19 data from across the world and shared the information for public education.

He developed a simple light measuring system that automates the work of security systems, green house farming, and energy use in households.

All these innovations have tremendous potential to change multiples sectors for the better!

His presence on campus in the last four years meant more students performed better academically than they would otherwise; more of us got inspired about the power of science and technology than would otherwise; and more people on campus experienced joy and optimism in than would otherwise have.

Mind you, he did all this while overcoming a physical impairment that very few of us fully appreciate. Even though he needed technology to fully experience the light of this world, the light he radiated made all our worlds brighter.

For his infectious enthusiasm about technology; for his radiant personality; and for inspiring us to learn to overcome, we present this award to Daniel Seworye.

Maxine is not one to embrace the limelight. In fact, often, she appears to be fleeing the limelight. Her authenticity, broad intellect, and eagerness to push for excellence makes everyone want to work with her. Her intellectual interests span Asante artefacts, Russian literature, the science of human disasters, and many more. It has molded her into an imaginative young woman eager to shape the world into a better place.

She founded a fashion business in her first year and has supported others to, amongst others, launch initiatives in agriculture, publishing and higher education. On campus, she has been a constant and creative presence whenever something worthy needed to be done. As examples, she was curation lead for Tedx Ashesi and a research intern for the Design Lab on a mental health project.

Maxine has been an excellent representative of Ashesi on various platforms. In June this year, amidst the hustle of final year workload, she accepted to speak at the Pan-African Students Summit in Accra. She is a Melton Foundation fellow who works with other fellows to promote the ethos of global citizenship on our campus. Late last year, she was one of the few students chosen to work with MBA students from Harvard to provide business advisory services to Ghanaian ventures

Internationally, she was part of the student team that launched the Global Commons, an online student-led publication sponsored by the Open Society University Network, a partnership of over 40 institutions across the world that champion the liberal arts and civic engagement. In the summer of 2023, she participated in the workshop on public finance and economic analysis at Bard College in New York before a two-month stint with the global operations office of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Cheshire West and Chester, the United Kingdom.

As Vice Chairperson of the Judicial and Electoral Committee, she was a widely admired champion of integrity on campus: designing and driving programming that educated students about our values and being an unimpeachable embodiment of those values. At Ashesi, we have a special regard for Lao Tzu’s words: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” We cannot find many who represent Lao tzu’s words better than Maxine.

In honor of her expansive and restless intellect; her powerful representation of Ashesi from the streets of Accra to classrooms in America and boardrooms in England; and for a heart that looks out for community: we present this award to Maxine Victoria Nana Ekua Twumwaa Brenya.

Yamoah Frimpong Attafuah was an exemplary Ashesi student. He was the action-oriented scholar, gracious servant leader, and optimistic citizen that we dream of when we cheer our students. Thankfully, this stellar performer does not just exist in our imagination, he walks among his peers – alive, always cheerful, constantly learning, dutifully applying what he knows. He generously shares his talent, energy and knowledge.

Yamoah volunteered on the Academic Committee of the Ashesi Student Council in his second year. While many were still adjusting to a changed academic calendar and the unpredictability it occasioned, he decided to step up and help create the community we desired. That committee monitored courseloads and implemented programs to help students better cope with our rigorous program during a period of uncertainties.

Yamoah went further than that. As a talented and diligent student who thrived academically, he could have chosen to look out for himself only. Rather, he made time to serve at our Math Resource Center, tutoring many students in hours of one-on-one sessions. Even during exams season, he made time to take his mates through problem sets.

Ultimately, it was no surprise when as vice presidential candidate, he and his presidential candidate got elected to lead the Ashesi Student Council in early 2023. And what an awesome job he did as vice president of our student council. He was an able right-hand man, facilitating development of new activities; helping to invigorate clubs and societies; energizing students’ participation in events; and being a classy envoy for his team. Any student council program was more likely to be smooth, exciting, and successful because Yamoah was involved.

Beyond Ashesi, he was an able ambassador of the institution on the Applied Methods and Research Experience (AMRE) program at the College of Wooster in Ohio, the United States. He developed, with three others, “a best practices guide to improve Schneider Electric’s use of Large Language Models” after conducting several experiments. Before that, he was on a team of Ashesi students who developed a device that enables the blind and visually impaired to plot and interpret bar graphs and perform simple mathematical computations. His peers had a sense of what he would contribute to Ashesi when they voted for him as for the “Star Image Award” during the Ubora Awards in 2021.

He is never flustered, never out-of-ideas, and never missing in action; always composed, always learning, always serving. For personifying the Ashesi ideals of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship, we present this award to the young man with an unusually avuncular disposition; an “uncle” to all in this Ashesi family: (Wofa) Yamoah Frimpong Attafuah.

Good morning, everyone.

Distinguished faculty, honored guests, proud parents, and the graduating Class of 2024, it is truly a privilege to stand before you today. 

My name is Sylvia Mbama, Class of 2006.  I had the pleasure of sitting where you are 18 years ago, feeling the same mix of excitement, relief, and perhaps a little uncertainty about what lies ahead. I am honored to share a few thoughts as you prepare to embark on your next chapter. I still remember my graduation day. Like many of you, I was eager to step into the world, degree in hand, ready to take on whatever came my way. But I also felt the weight of the unknown especially when I already had two offers with the support of Ashesi Career Services. I asked myself, Would I find success? Would I make the right choices? 

Looking back, I can tell you that the journey has been full of surprises—some wonderful, others challenging—but each experience taught me something valuable. I remember the first day I got to Ashesi campus at Labone for our orientation. We met Professor Anku of blessed memory, and he stated that he was going to make us eat and drink mathematics; we all laughed, but to my amazement, I got a B in calculus. An achievement I thought I couldn’t attain was made possible. What did that do for me? it built my numerical skills. I also had the opportunity to be lectured by Mark Pointer on liberal arts.

This gave us a well-rounded view of the world, taught me how to build on my critical thinking skills, communication, and analytical skills. Time management in our part of the world has always been an issue, I remember our first party when we joined Ashesi and were given 6:00 pm as start time, some of us got there after 6:00 pm and to our amazement Patrick was already there. Within a few minutes after we got there, the party was over. It was a lesson for us to be diligent and respect time. A lesson I haven’t forgotten till date. There are many more exposures and experiences Ashesi presented to me and has sharpened my world view but for the sake of time, I will leave it here. 

Moving on, I’d like to share a story from my professional journey. On my first day at work as a human resources administrator, I had high expectations because of the values Ashesi had input into us. This was my first job after graduation, and I was bold and ready to make a change. However, on that first day, I had no desk and no PC. I carried my personal laptop and network cable to fit in and work and my colleagues couldn’t help but laugh. This continued for 3 months. I hopped from desk to desk and had to serve my team members in various capacities. I took on responsibilities outside my core job for years. This was difficult, but it paid off and allowed me to acquire a vast range of knowledge in my field. Today I am here because I took those baby steps and didn’t give up. I stayed in that department and got promoted repeatedly until I reached management level.   

This experience taught me to be humble but resilient at the same time, to never give up on what I want, keep learning, and focus on my goals, a lesson that I continue to carry with me today. It’s a reminder that life rarely follows the plan we set out for it, but it’s in those unexpected moments that we often find our greatest growth. 

To the graduates, I have a few pieces of advice as you step into this new phase of your life. 

First, embrace the uncertainty, and trust God to lead you. The path ahead may not always be clear, but trust that every twist and turn is leading you to where you’re meant to be. 

Second, stay curious, and be a learner. Never stop learning, whether it’s through formal education, experiences, or the people you meet along the way. 

Finally, love and be kind to yourself and others. The world can be tough, but your kindness can be a light in someone else’s journey. 

As you leave here today, know that you carry with you the knowledge, skills, and values that this great institution has instilled in you. You are more prepared than you may realize to face the challenges and seize the opportunities that await you. 

Remember that success is not just measured by the milestones you achieve, but by the impact you make, the relationships you build, and the integrity with which you live your life. 

In closing, I want to congratulate each of you on this remarkable achievement. Today is a celebration of your hard work, dedication, and perseverance. But it is also the beginning of an exciting new journey. 

As you go forth, know that you are part of a larger community of alumni who are cheering you on and are ready to support you as you make your mark on the world. 

Congratulations, Class of 2024. I can’t wait to see what you will accomplish.  

Thank you. 

Nana Oteng-Korankye II, Nananom, Board members present, the President of Ashesi, Dr Patrick Awuah, Emeritus Professors present, our Distinguished Guest Speaker and soon-to-be fellow alum Sylvia Mbama, Ashesi staff and faculty, dear parents and well-wishers, my fellow graduands, ladies and gentlemen.

I recently read an interesting fact a friend sent to me that every single piece of rock on Ashesi’s walls was dug up from the land on which our campus is built. This fact about Ashesi’s construction is more than just an interesting tidbit – it’s a powerful metaphor for our journey here. Like these rocks, we arrived in our raw form. And over the last 48 months, 208 weeks, 1461 days and 35064 hours we’ve been built into something greater than we could have imagined.

Just as this institution was built from the ground up, so too have we built ourselves with the help of staff and faculty. As we look back to our shared journey, there are endless opportunities before us. My name is Chudah Yakung, and I am privileged to chronicle our journey up to this point, and to share what joy there may be in our brilliant and shared future. It seems like decades ago, but when our Class joined Ashesi there was still a remarkable global pandemic to contend with.

Yet on our first day of (online) class, we were being asked to design MRI Scanners with computer-aided design and form teams to solve SDG goals in Africa. Ei Ashesi! A few weeks ago, some of my mates and I shared a good laugh when we reflected on an early interaction in Jomens’ class; one student had complained about a poor internet connection affecting their ability to submit assignments; and in typical fashion, Jomens telling him that “I am also facing the same problem, so let’s team up and fight this beast together.” Needless to say, those assignments were submitted, and on time.

From those days onward, whether we were sweating over the 6am microeconomics quizzes, debugging the segmentation fault error or understanding triple integration, we were learning to tackle complex problems, adapt to unexpected situations, and push through difficulties. And as we stand on the cusp of our professional lives, I am confident these lessons will prove invaluable. I like to think of Ashesi’s philosophy of work as similar to what perhaps elite military training may look like, though I should confirm with the alumni who have joined the military. It felt like stepping into an unfamiliar world.

Ashesi – this place of many beginnings – sometimes seemed like it was going to be the end of us. We were so bamboozled by the work rate in Ashesi that it got us singing “Ashesi what is it? Haven’t you done enough?” If you find graduates wandering around today, talking to themselves and saying “herh Ashesi”, I hope you now understand why. Our web tech students will not forget how their “most secure” web applications granted access to users when Mr Sampah said “type 123 as your password” during their presentation, while our embedded engineers will always remember their robotic arms that refused to work as soon as Dr Nathan requested for a demo.

From the pandemic came the accelerated year, a final sprint that demanded every ounce of our strength and determination. It was our version of ‘Hell Week’ – a period of intense pressure designed to reveal our true capabilities. The dreaded word on every senior’s lips had come into reality. Capstone!. Dr Korsah’s “so what is the relevance of this project” during our mock capstone presentations when we thought we had built the next big thing made graduation seem light years from that time. Yet here we are, having emerged much stronger, more skilled and more prepared. We have been trained to not excel when everything is easy, but to also press forward even under high-pressure situations.

Through a pandemic, first encounters with rapid online learning, and a university that asked us to set the highest expectations of ourselves, we have not just survived, but thrived and proved that we are greater than the 11:59 pm submissions. By dint of these achievements I will describe the class of 2024 as the unshakeable class. But our Ashesi story isn’t just about academic triumphs. It’s a tale of holistic growth, where we’ve excelled not only in classrooms but on playing fields, in entrepreneurial ventures, and in service to our community. Our journey has been enriched by the diverse talents and passions that each of us brought to this campus.

Our Wednesday nights were always “icy” because of Qyaunor’s cold play during basketball games, and Kofi AG leaving us in shock with his impressive three pointers. Our amazing footballers such as Nkansah, Roland, Ab, Kuuchi, Bassam, Eunice, Camara, Miriam, Esly, Eunice and many more blessed the Ashesi League on Saturdays with their skills. Our buzzing entrepreneurs including Ahavah, Biragoe’s goodies, Grab-hub, Lahari Events, Aunty Be and Co popcorn, YT, Laila’s cakes, Jo’s oils, our favourite author Kwaku Osafo and many more constantly remind us that Ashesi’s goal of raising entrepreneurial leaders is still alive.

My fellow graduands, even International Trade with its new bugs, COA final exams and Thermodynamics, could not stop us from sitting here with maximum composure and steeze. As the famous basketball player Kobe Bryant said “Rest at the end and not at the middle”, I also want to encourage us to carry this perseverance forward into our future endeavours. The world is battling with wicked problems and believe it or not we are the ones with the creative solutions. Before you get pressured by what I am saying just as Dr Patrick Awuah told the class of 2023, “I am not asking you to go and save the world” but do things that you will be proud of and outlive you.

Remember, change doesn’t always have to be global to be significant. Sometimes, it’s the small, consistent actions that create the most lasting outcomes. It could be mentoring a younger colleague, volunteering in your community, or developing a more efficient process at work. Every positive action, no matter how small, ripples outward and contributes to a better world. As I mentioned earlier, we have been built with the help of staff and faculty. This is why we say, to the faculty and staff, who moulded us, thank you. Thank you for showing us not just WHAT to think but HOW to think. Your patience, your enthusiasm and your willingness to engage have shaped our academic journey in profound ways. In a world of change, the lessons you have taught to us will remain constant.

I know it may be easier to say this now that we are graduating, than when we were battling 11:59 PM deadlines, but you have indeed created an environment conducive to learning and growth, and for that, we are deeply grateful. A special thank you – to you as well, Dr Patrick Awuah, for bringing this dream into reality. If this is what four years of Ashesi has been like for us, I wonder what 22 years has been like for you. On the day of our Seniors lunch, you had spoken about the power of persisting in executing a plan. It got me thinking: what would have happened if the visionaries of Ashesi gave up? We are grateful that you all stood on business, despite what must have been remarkable odds.

And now, to the biggest heroes of our academic journey – our parents, guardians, and families. Your unwavering support has been the bedrock of our success. Today’s achievement is as much yours as it is ours. As you beam with pride watching us receive our degrees, please know that our hearts are full of gratitude for you as well. This milestone is a testament to your love, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in us. We love you, we thank you, and we promise to make you proud as we step into the next chapter of our lives. As I stand here, looking out at all of you, I’m reminded that we are not just classmates, but a family. We’ve laughed together during late-night study sessions and cried together when the pressure seemed insurmountable. I am sure we all remember how we protested against writing a Statistics final exam. Class of 2024, this is not goodbye. It’s simply the beginning of a new chapter in our shared story.

I want you to look around. These faces you see, they’re not just your classmates. They’re your support system and your lifelong friends. We entered Ashesi as individuals, but we leave as a family. From the families built in the gym, spotting each other during workouts, to the ones forged during the engineering Volta tournaments, where teamwork became our second nature, we’ve created bonds that transcend the lecture halls.

I would like to end with a story I was told some years back. A farmer saw a donkey stuck in an old well and did not know how to rescue the donkey. It seemed the donkey was going to die a slow, painful death. So in order to prevent such misery, he decided to bury the donkey. But as he started shovelling dirt into the well, he noticed that the donkey was climbing higher. He quickly realised, that each time he pushed dirt into the well, the donkey would shake it off; and this was creating a mound at the bottom of the well that was bringing the donkey to the top. Rather than burying the donkey, he ended up helping it out of the well.

And I pray Class of 2024, that it will be so for us. Let it be so, that even as we choose to act in mercy, we end up giving a chance to an idea; a business; a life. And let it be so, that even in our darkest wells when it seems that life’s challenges may very well bury us, we can still choose to seek the opportunities that will enable us to climb. Remember to shake the sand off, take a step up, and decide to “no ‘gree for anybody”.

In the words of Zane Grey, “to bear up under loss; to fight the bitterness of defeat and the weakness of grief; to be victor over anger; to smile when tears are close; to resist evil men; to hate hate and love love; to go on when it would seem good to die; to seek after the glory and dreams; to look up with unquenchable faith; that is what anyone can do; , and so go do, and be, great.

So, Class of 2024 with courage, compassion, and the unwavering belief in our ability to make impact, go do and be great. Thank you and God bless us all.