Long before arriving on campus, many experience Ashesi University through the images and videos that showcase its learning and impact. Behind many of these moments is Cyril Kuornoo ’21, usually behind the lens, quietly documenting our stories and rarely in the spotlight himself.

During his freshman year at Ashesi, Kuornoo and his team worked on a project for the Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship (FDE) course — a class that challenges students to address real-world problems using design thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurial approaches. When his team prepared their first presentation, they chose to present their ideas through video rather than traditional slides.

What began as a basic phone recording sparked Kuornoo’s interest in visual storytelling. Subsequently, he began incorporating photographs and videos into his academic work whenever possible.

Recognizing the importance of community growth, he joined the Photography & Film Club, where he found peers who shared his creative curiosity. The club gave him deeper exposure to the field, including an opportunity to job-shadow a professional photographer who visited Ashesi to engage with students.

During his time with the Photography & Film Club, Kuornoo regularly volunteered to capture campus events through photography and video. This helped him build a good portfolio, leading to an internship with the University’s External Relations Office, now University Communications. There, he supported multimedia projects that told the community’s stories.