Patrick Awuah '89: 
Transforming Africa Through Education

by Alisa Giardinelli
2/10/2011

A yoga class takes place behind Bond Memorial Hall.

Education is fundamental to the transformation of leadership in Africa, says Patrick Awuah '89, president and founder of Ashesi University College in Ghana. Awuah modeled the school, the country's first to adopt the liberal arts method, on Swarthmore.

A recent New York Times profile quoted Awuah from a talk he gave in Doha at the World Innovation Summit for Education:

"Africa has reached an inflection point with the march of democracy across the continent," he said. "We can bring change in one generation. How we train our leaders will make all the difference."

"We want to play a role in the renaissance of Africa," he said.