In August 2018, Ashesi welcomed Zainab Oluwatoyosi Ayinde from Wheaton College, Massachusetts. Studying to be a dentist eventually, with a concentration in African, African American and Diaspora Studies at Wheaton, Zainab chose to come to Ghana hoping to immerse herself in a culture she had grown to admire.

“Most of my close friends in middle and high school were from Ghana,” Zainab shared. “So I got exposed to various Ghanaian cultures early on in my life. Coming to study here was for me, a great opportunity to see Ghana for myself and learn more about those cultures.”

“One of the reasons I chose to come to Ashesi was because I felt that Ashesi, like Wheaton College was very community-based, and would be a right fit for me,” she said. “In most of my education, I have been in family-based learning environments. That’s just the kind of community I thrive in.”

With her lively and warm personality, Zainab found her feet quickly, engaging with fellow students, getting to know staff and faculty, and fully immersing herself into campus-life. And when she was not busy with school work, she split her spare time between the Storyteller’s Club and volunteering with the Student Life and Engagement office.

“One could hardly tell that Zainab was an exchange student,” shared Daniel Bempah, Faculty Intern in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department and coordinator of the Storytellers club. “You could tell that though she was born and raised in the US, she was also heavily immersed in and influenced by Nigerian culture. In my classes, she was always ready to share her insights and experiences as a Nigerian-American. People enjoyed being around her because she is really amusing and entertaining as a person. For some reason, she would always call me Uncle Bemps, and I thought her comedic personality would make her a perfect addition to the club’s inaugural play. So I invited her to join the Storyteller’s club and she was instantly hooked. Both inside and outside the classroom, she made Ashesi better with her presence.”

Zainab also couldn’t have chosen a better time to become part of the community, as Ashesi hosted some of its biggest events this semester; the Student Council’s Ubora Awards, in recognition of student acts of excellence, and Homecoming 2018.

In both of these events, Zainab played key roles: she took the opportunity to co-host the 2018 Ubora Awards. Also Zainab starred in the Storyteller’s club first production, an African rendition of Romeo and Juliet, “Romeo Must Die,” at Homecoming 2018.

“My overall experience at Ashesi in Ghana have been wonderful,” she said. ” My advice to future exchange students is to be open to new experiences, not be afraid to ask questions, and not to worry about standing out. I made a lot of friends because I was open, and they played a significant role in helping me enjoy my experience.”