Commencement Library
A record of how Ashesi marks the end of one chapter and the start of many. Watch the latest ceremony, browse each one since 2005, and explore the traditions, regalia, and symbols that characterize commencement at Ashesi.
Traditions, Symbols, and the Ceremony
It’s a fitting coincidence: a commencement marks a beginning, and Ashesi means “beginning” in Akan. So the day our students graduate, the ceremony and the name agree; this is a start, not an ending. The traditions gathered here shape that beginning. Together, they tell the story of a community that takes scholarship, leadership, and citizenship seriously, viewing its alumni as lifelong members.
The Academic Regalia of Ashesi University
The regalia worn at commencement weaves centuries-old global academic tradition with Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, representing the institution’s identity, values, and mission.
Undergraduate Students: Black robes, a Kente sash
As the bedrock of the Ashesi community, undergraduate students wear traditional black robes elevated by a vibrant Kente sash woven in Ashesi’s signature colors, symbolizing their transition from learners to ethical leaders.
Master’s Students: Kente panels and discipline hoods
Master’s students wear black robes accented with front panels featuring the Ashesi Kente motif and Ashesi red. Their hoods carry the colors of their specific discipline bordered by the unifying Ashesi Kente motif, and their caps reflect their foundational undergraduate achievements.
Faculty: The robes of their own alma maters
In keeping with global tradition, faculty wear the robes, hoods, and colors of the institutions from which they earned their highest degrees; a diverse display of the global expertise and perspective they bring to Ashesi.
Senior Executives: Ashesi-red robes bearing the seal
Senior executives wear Ashesi-red robes with black front panels adorned with the Ashesi seal. Those holding doctoral degrees also wear a doctoral hood combining Ashesi’s deep red with the intricate Ashesi Kente motif.
The President’s Robe: Elevating the Undergraduate Mission
In a powerful departure from standard hierarchy, the President wears a black robe inspired by and styled alongside the undergraduate students, reflecting Ashesi’s deep commitment to exceptional undergraduate education. To denote the office, the robe bears black front panels with the Ashesi seal, four velvet sleeve stripes, and a hood that opens to reveal an inner lining made entirely of Ashesi Kente.
The Chief Marshal: Kente cloth and the ceremonial staff
The Chief Marshal, a member of the university administration, wears traditional Ghanaian Kente cloth and holds a staff bearing the Ashesi Seal.
Disciplinary Hood Colors: What each hood signifies
The hoods worn by faculty and advanced-degree holders follow standard academic colors that signal the field of study:
| Degree / Discipline | Hood Color |
|---|---|
| PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) | Dark Blue |
| Master’s in Engineering | Orange |
| MBA (Master of Business Administration) | Drab (light brown / tan) |
| Master’s in Computer Science | Golden Yellow |
The Ashesi Kente Motif: All motifs are used up
Central to the regalia is the Ashesi Kente motif, in the university’s core colors of red, gold, and black, meticulously woven in the Adwinasa tradition of the Akan people. Meaning “all motifs are used up,” or “I have exhausted my skills,” Adwinasa represents the pinnacle of mastery; for the graduate, the sash gathers years of rigorous effort into a single expression of excellence.
The Ashesi Seal: Light, breakthrough, excellence
The Ashesi Seal pairs the university logomark with two symbols: the Dagaz, a Runic mark for light, breakthrough, and success, and the Adinkrahene, the Akan symbol for excellence. The logomark, inspired by traditional Ghanaian Adinkra design, embodies the values that guide Ashesi’s mission:
- The Stool and Pillars — a traditional Ghanaian stool grounded on three pillars: scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.
- The Sun and Eye — a rising sun and an eye: new beginnings, insight, and intellectual exploration.
- The Human Form — from a distance, a person standing under a sheltering roof: Ashesi’s human-centered mission and sense of community.
Seniors’ Day: The embrace before the formal goodbye
Two weeks before commencement, the graduating class takes over campus for a day of music, dancing, and photographs. It is a joyful, public celebration of their time drawing to a close, before the formality of graduation.
Quasar Night: The evening before commencement
Launched in 2024, the Quasar Awards Night honors outstanding senior research. Named after the brightest objects in the universe, the event celebrates students who are already contributing actionable knowledge to the world.
The Opening Reading: Framing the meaning of the day
Each year, the Provost opens the ceremony with a text ranging from classic philosophy to sacred texts and modern essays. These choices form an archive of introspection, asking anew: what is an education for?
Student Speakers: Centering the student voice
Before the leadership speaks, students do. Graduating speakers, chosen by their peers, address the gathering; a reflection that at Ashesi, students are the center of the ceremony, not just the audience.
Leadership Addresses: Vision and charge
The President and the Guest of Honor deliver the final addresses, offering reflections on the cohort’s journey and issuing a formal charge to the graduating class as they step into leadership roles globally.
Conferment of Degrees: The official transition
At the Provost’s request, the President confers academic degrees. Undergraduate students move their tassels from left to right before walking across the stage to receive their certificates from both leaders.
The Class Gift: Paying it forward
Initiated by the pioneer Class of 2005, this collective financial contribution is the graduates’ first act of philanthropy as alumni. Whether funding emergency aid or future scholarships, it sets a clear precedent: giving back starts on graduation day.
The Alumni Pledge: A commitment to core values
Near the close of the ceremony, the graduating class stands to make the alumni pledge, led by the President of the Ashesi Alumni Council:
As a graduate of Ashesi University, I acknowledge my responsibility to this community and the generations of students and alumni yet to come.
In the spirit of scholarship, I will continue to pursue and share knowledge with the understanding that there is always more to learn.
In the spirit of leadership, I will hold myself to Ashesi’s code of ethics and integrity, always taking responsibility for my actions, and asking others to hold themselves to the same.
In the spirit of citizenship, I will actively contribute my work, wisdom, and wealth to this community and others beyond it, sustaining the well-being of the Ashesi community, the continent it calls home, and the world at large.
The Decennial Welcome: The alumni community answers
Immediately following the pledge, the alumni community welcomes the newest graduates. By tradition, this welcome is led by the class celebrating its ten-year reunion, who often return with significant financial gifts; standing as a living testament to a decade of honoring the pledge.
The Scholarship, Leadership & Citizenship Award: The highest student honor at Ashesi
Conferred by the President on the recommendation of the Dean of Student and Community Affairs, it recognizes graduates who have fully embodied the university’s three core values. Their unique contributions are permanently recorded in Ashesi’s archives.
The Ashesi Medal: The university’s highest honor
Approved by the Board of Directors, the Ashesi Medal is the university’s highest honor for individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to humanity. Its inaugural recipient was Reeta Roy, former CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
