It is always astonishing to comprehend what a small world this is, and how we remain connected to each other across space and time. In 2004, Patrick Awuah, the co-founder of Ashesi University in Ghana, was awarded an honorary degree at his (and my) alma mater of Swarthmore College. At the time, I was working at the college and it was my privilege to listen to Patrick’s story over dinner at the home of Al Bloom, Swarthmore’s president. And what a story Patrick had!
In 1998, after graduating from Swarthmore and establishing an enviable 10-year career at Microsoft, Patrick made the leap to go back to graduate school at UC Berkeley. There he met Nina Marini, and the two began a project exploring the feasibility of creating a private liberal arts college in Ghana. One year later, Ashesi was founded, then fully launched in 2002, with the mission of educating the next generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa.
In Fante (one of Ghana’s languages) the word Ashesi means “beginning.” The name was inspired by a quote Patrick had always loved from Goethe:
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
And so, the university began with 30 students in a refurbished home. Today, it enrolls more than 1,900 students from across the African continent on a stunningly beautiful campus outside Accra. It accepts only about 20% of students who apply, and 80% of those accepted choose to attend. Among the university’s early supporters (whose support continues today), is the MasterCard Foundation, which offers a full scholarship to one-fifth of the undergrads at Ashesi.
My visit marks the beginning of Ashesi’s path to NECHE accreditation — 20 years from its founding and less than ten years since it became a fully independent private university with a charter from the government of Ghana. It was a thrill for me to see Patrick again, and I was deeply impressed by the university’s strength, stability, and aspirations.
Two enormous new building projects are underway on campus; both will be over 100,000 square feet. Ashesi’s STEM facility will open this summer, followed in 2027 with the Leadership Center. Both buildings are designed to accommodate planned enrollment growth in the next five years from 1,900 to 3,200 and will certainly add a WOW factor to an already impressive campus.
At NECHE, we are big fans of learning objectives. Here are Ashesi’s eight goals, which hold across ten majors and a strong liberal arts curriculum:
- Critical Thinking
- Ethics and Civic Engagement
- Technical Competence
- Innovation and Action
- Communication
- Leadership and Teamwork
- Professionalism
- Curiosity and Skill
This mix of hard and soft skills in many ways mirrors the traits of Ashesi’s President. As a dreamer and a man of action, Patrick has been honored with some of the highest accolades a person can earn, including the prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant.” (That’s the one my mother always thought I should have earned.)
As I witnessed in Ghana, there is plenty to be proud of at Ashesi University. The energy on campus is palpable and inspiring. 90% of graduates are employed or in grad school within six months of degree completion– this in a country where the average is 10%. And having a Rhodes Scholar just named from the class is icing on the cake.
Clearly, Boldness does have magic in it!
