Rachelle Elodie Konan
Class 2011
Four years ago I was surfing the internet for a good university in West Africa when I stumbled upon the Ashesi website. I was amazed by their affiliation to foreign institutions namely University of Washington, New York University, to mention just a few. The low student to lecturer ratio as well as the liberal arts system of education (which was similar to my previous university back home in Cote D’Ivoire – International University of Grand-Bassam) also caught my attention. I decided to come to Ghana to visit Ashesi, University of Ghana, Central and Cape Coast University firsthand so as to be better informed in making the right choice.
Upon arriving at the Ashesi University campus, I was directed to the Admissions Office where I spoke with an admissions officer, who talked me through the admissions process. I also had the opportunity to interact with two students from the graduating class of 2009 and 2008 who gave me some insight into campus life. My visit to the University of Ghana and Cape Coast did not go as smoothly and the large population on both campuses was quite intimidating. Knowing that I had a preference for a small class size, I strongly believed that Ashesi would be a much better fit. I therefore sent an application in 2007 and was privileged to be admitted in August of that same year.
My time in Ashesi presented a huge challenge as well as an adventure. I came with an overarching ambition to succeed and I truly believe that Ashesi has shaped my future; strengthened my academic and social abilities; enhanced my self-image; and given me exposure to the corporate world thus preparing me for a solid career. I speak of my internship opportunity with two very distinguished multinational corporations, namely International Finance Corporation (IFC) and General Electric (GE). With the rigorous school curriculum, I have learned the required tools to turn my challenges into achievements, and weakness into strengths hence making me better equipped to effectively participate in projects aimed at addressing some of the world’s toughest issues at these organizations.
Since I attribute most of my success to Ashesi, I see myself now as an ambassador -an Ashesi icon- and not just Rachelle, an individual. I entreat all West African students, especially francophone, who seek high quality education to also consider Ashesi as their preferred choice and not only focus on places like Senegal and France as is currently the case. If you are interested in reading courses such as Management Information System (MIS), Business Administration, and Computer Science, this is really where you should be.
