“Over time, Ashesi gave me both the space and the audience to express my ideas freely. I learned that growth often comes from asking questions, challenging assumptions, and daring to contribute.”
These words capture the Ashesi journey of Samuel Inkoom ’26, once a shy student whose decision to attend Ashesi University was influenced by a friend — an Ashesi alumnus who introduced him to the institution.
“When I first arrived, I rarely spoke in class because I was afraid of making mistakes,” he recalls. “Today, I can confidently share, lead discussions, and take initiative without fear.”
As a beneficiary of a comprehensive scholarship to study Management Information Systems (MIS), Inkoom describes the opportunity as impactful. “Being on scholarship has been life-changing for my family and me, allowing me to focus entirely on my studies,” he shared. “Beyond tuition, it gave me dignity and hope.”
With an interest in entrepreneurship, Inkoom paid close attention to his Foundations of Design and Entrepreneurship (FDE) courses. Drawing on lessons from there, he launched a clothing business using a portion of his stipend. Through research, he identified a gap in the campus market: while many brands focused on T-shirts, few offered coordinated sets with matching shorts. He launched Tribal Ts, a clothing line that offered coordinated T-shirts and shorts. With time, he expanded his line to include a collection of ladies’ handbags. “Entrepreneurship has taught me resilience and the importance of understanding your market,” he shared. “These are lessons I don’t think I could have learned better in another way.”
A lover of football, Inkoom also channeled his interests into his capstone project, Scout Me. The platform, which operates similarly to LinkedIn, aims to connect talented footballers with scouts. It is focused on uncovering and promoting players from rural Ghana to the global stage.
Inkoom’s journey has also featured some internships and externships. In his third year, he interned with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as an IT Support Intern and Customer Management Executive. When faced with unfamiliar technical challenges, he leaned on “Ashesi’s problem-solving approach”. “I learned to face challenges head-on, seek the right resources, collaborate when necessary, and act with integrity,” he says.
From his experience, he learned that “Leadership is not about knowing everything, but about being willing to learn, adapt, and serve.”
Outside of his academic and entrepreneurial work, Inkoom is passionate about addressing social perceptions around self-expression. “In many communities, men who braid their hair or women perceived to dress ‘indecently’ are often labeled as irresponsible or socially deviant,” he explained. “Through my interactions and experiences, I have come to realize that this assumption is often far from the truth.”
He hopes to use social media as a tool to challenge these stereotypes and encourage people to judge others based on their values and actions rather than outward appearance.
