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Volunteer profile: Joel Hanson

Joel Hanson is one of our newest volunteers at Ashesi University Foundation. Joel graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 1999. After graduating, he worked on local political races and was an activist on behalf of various environmental causes. Joel recently returned from China where he spent 6 months teaching English at a University in Hunan Province.

In his own words:

“Several years ago, I learned about Ashesi through a friend. I quickly became a believer in the ambition of Ashesi. Education is a defining force in my life. My college education emphasized initiative and personal responsibility. The skills I acquired have allowed me to do things I could never have planned, like heading off to China to teach English.

Upon returning from China, I finally decided that I wanted help Ashesi instead of simply watching. My main project at Ashesi University Foundation has been to develop a strategy to expand awareness of Ashesi through periodicals. I’ve been tracking magazines that might publish a story on Ashesi and perusing the articles of potential authors.

The staff members at Ashesi are great to work with and they’ve given me a sense of ownership on this project. I know I can take this project as far as I want. It feels great to finally be a part of this endeavor rather than just an observer. My volunteer work with Ashesi has been thought provoking and satisfying.”

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