“I am a product of people who shared their time, resources, and networks to open doors and create opportunities,” says Jessica Sugru Ali ’15. 

After Ashesi, Sugru Ali built experience across HR, business support management, strategy, and talent development. At Bank of America in London, she recruited and trained early-career professionals & supported regulatory change initiatives and when she moved to Morgan Stanley, she led strategic, people-focused transformation. These roles shaped her understanding of how organizations grow and how individuals thrive within them. 

Today, she is applying that insight to expand access to opportunities for people in Ghana and beyond. As Founder and Lead Consultant at Graduate Consult, she works with organizations to design structured pathways that connect early-career talent to the skills, systems, and networks needed to build meaningful careers.

“Mentorship is more than advice,” she explains. “It’s perspective, encouragement, and access. It helps people see their potential—and act on it.” 

She identifies three key challenges facing early-career talent: clarity on how to translate academic skills into workplace value, confidence in navigating professional environments, and access to networks and opportunities. 

Through structured programs—including one-on-one coaching and digital learning resources—she works to bridge these gaps, helping individuals move from simply having jobs to intentionally building careers. 

Her commitment to mentorship began long before Graduate Consult. As a student, she supported a participant in the Ashesi Junior Entrepreneurship Network, which is now the Ashesi Innovation Experience (AIX).  Through guidance, advocacy, and persistence, he gained admission to Ashesi with a full scholarship. Today, he has furthered his education and supports his family. 

“That experience reinforced something important,” she says. “You don’t need to have ‘arrived’ to support someone else. You just need to be willing to act.”