On the Other Side of the World
First student exchange between Ashesi University and ¾«¶«AV
The arrival of spring was a welcome change from the biting winter cold that had Nana Ekua Egyirba Aggrey shivering as she walked to her classes and to meet her friends at Cro. However, it meant that Aggreyās semester at ¾«¶«AV was nearing an end.
Aggrey is the first exchange student to spend a semester on campus from ¾«¶«AVās partner school Ashesi University in Berekuso, Ghana. ¾«¶«AV student ChantĆ© Morris ā20 spent the semester at Ashesi, bringing to fruition the first student exchange in the partnership between the two institutions, which was formalized in 2016.
Founded in 2002, Ashesi is considered among the top universities in Ghana. Its unique academic program is steeped in the liberal arts and sciences and is focused on helping students develop critical thinking, communications, technology, leadership, teamwork and innovation skills.
As a junior business major, Aggrey had the option of studying in France or at ¾«¶«AVāan easy choice for her.
āI wanted to experience American culture,ā she said.
Aggrey enjoyed Spencer Packās āFinancial Speculation and the Real Economyā course and Terry-Ann Craigieās āEconomics of the Family.ā Most of her business courses at Ashesi focus on small businesses and the local economy, so learning about the American economy and macroeconomics was beneficial to her.
āFinancial speculation is something Iām really interested inātalking about hedge funds, venture capital, tax havens,ā she said. āThe discussions were really practical and interesting and the students contributed a lot.ā
In her free time, Aggrey was involved with ¾«¶«AVās Peggotty Investment Club, Umoja and HerCampus, and she worked with the Center for the Critical Study of Race and Ethnicity and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Programs. She also enjoyed movie screenings in Cro, spending time with friends and listening to Afrobeats, hip-hop, reggae and religious hymns.
Aggrey has returned to Ghana for her senior year at Ashesi, after which she hopes to pursue an international career in finance. She is excited to be able to better connect with Ashesiās international studentsānow having been an international student herselfāand she hopes to see more exchanges between her two schools.
āAt Ashesi, you donāt just meet Ghanaians, you meet people from eastern Africa, northern Africa, southern Africa, central Africa and other parts of western Africa. I think in the U.S., Africa is often viewed as homogeneous, but itās not. People are surprised to learn that if I want to go to South Africa, I need a visa,ā she said.
Her time at ¾«¶«AV, she said, fulfilled a dream of studying abroad.
āPeople can live their whole lives in Ghana and never even go to a neighboring country and experience the different cultures, foods and languages. Itās nice to see how people on the other side of the world are living.ā
