It all happened so fast. I remember arriving at Ashesi with a big travelling bag and being led into my room by the security guards. It was my biggest dream come true – to attend one of the most prestigious universities in the world. I can remember one of the facilitators calling my name to take a photograph for the student ID card and the exciting programs that followed after that. Time flies! My experiences at Ashesi are mixed – both joy and sadness. The pleasure of attending the best university in the country, and the sad feeling of not making the pass mark in some courses. In my first year, I did not know how to manage my time correctly. Poor time management affected my academic life, and I remember staying throughout the night to catch up with my studies. I spent a significant portion of my time working on assignments. My second year was no different, apart from joining the Football Club and the Developers Club. Things were better in my last two years. I took up challenging tasks that helped me to learn. I remember winning the Ford Fund for Service award and partnering with Millennium Fellowship through the Ashesi Campus Network, to support farmers and boost their productivity. Another target was to train school dropouts to acquire skills that would enable them to set up lucrative businesses. I began to find firm ground beneath my educational ladder in my final year. Indeed, the Ashesi I looked forward to was growing in me. The lecturers were accommodating, and the students were ready to help. 

Even though the pandemic forced the school to go online, which made learning tedious, the experience compelled me to identify specific potentials I thought I never had – the ability to organize and communicate virtually with people effectively, and the ability to type faster and more accurately. Growing up, I always followed in the footsteps of others as a child, never setting my own goals or leaving my imprint on the world. I never believed in the adage, “If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.” I skidded through life, not putting in any effort. I realize now that if I devote every ounce of my mind, body, and soul to the task at hand, I will achieve great success. With my numerous plans in mind, I wish to secure a position in a reputable company for my national service after graduation, and subsequently gain full-time employment to enable me to raise enough money to support the poor and needy. I also plan to go back to school to pursue my master’s after graduation, and I wish to accomplish that in the shortest possible time. 

Without the help of the Jim Ovia Foundation, my dream of becoming an engineer would have become a mirage. My family and I are incredibly grateful for the scholarship. I had never considered studying engineering at a university, let alone a private university like Ashesi. Jim Ovia Foundation helped make the impossible possible. I am eternally grateful to the foundation for providing me with this opportunity. I want to assure them that I will apply the knowledge and skills gained from Ashesi University to achieve my goals and give back to society.