Episode 37 - "The seeds of change with Patrick Awuah(#ThisIsMyEra the Podcast)
Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana, Patrick Awuah joins us to discuss his journey from engineering to developing and running a school in Africa. He shares his mission and inspiration for this breathtaking project.
Key Takeaways
Those with opportunities should share their experiences (3:00)
In discussing his decision to open Ashesi University, Patrick wanted to share his knowledge with others. In order to enact change, we need to continue to plant the seed. In Ghana, where there seem to be less opportunities, this is all the more crucial, and is why Patrick chose to return. Early into the episode at 3:00, he discusses his mission to change course for the continent by establishing more opportunities within.
Establish your organization upon a set of values (8:00)
Patrick compares an organization’s values to roots on a tree. Without roots, the tree falls. Without values, an organization cannot succeed. This Means that an organization’s values should be evident every step of the way. Ashesi's mission is to instill confidence and strong ethics in its students. In order to achieve lasting change for the continent of Africa, the people there must first believe they can succeed and do so ethically. Patrick explored this more in depth at 8:00
Send the right message to youth(18:00)
One way Patrick talks about sending the right message is through gender balance, especially in STEM programs. In Ghana, Patrick said gender inequality is even more evident than in the United States. Ashesi’s engineering program enrollment is 40 percent female. He discusses how the university achieved this in depth at 18:00. Another message important to send to youth:you should be able to dream, even if what you want seems unachievable. Patrick believes giving young people the confidence to foster an idea is the first step to enacting change.
Pull quotes:
- “I felt we needed to change the trajectory of the continent for future generations.”
- “People like me, who have had so many opportunities really ought to be part of the solution, ought to be making a contribution toward change.”
- “The values of an organization are like the roots of a tree. We can’t allow them to move or the tree will fall.”
- “The world that we want to see is an aspiration,and it’s going to take time … the important thing is to do your best work.”
- “The work that we do on our campus is just the beginning of this much bigger goal that we need to see a systems-wide change that really changes the trajectory of this continent.”
Episode Sponsored by: Reboot Your Life
Website: Reboot Your Life Course
Connect with Patrick:
Website: www.ashesi.edu.gh
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Join the conversation across all platforms with the hashtag #ThisIsMyEra
Episode Outline:
1:00: Introduction
4:00: The formation of Ashesi University
8:00: Building an organization upon values
15:00: Partnering with MIT
16:00: Programs for high school students
18:20: Achieving gender balance
21:00: Patrick’s goals for Ashesi
22:00: Direct impact
23:50: Opportunities to visit Ashesi
25:00 Why is this your era?
