December 4, 2015 – It was a night of class, fine food and memorable performances as Ashesi students, faculty and staff gathered at the La Palm Royale Beach to hold the sixth Ubora Awards, to celebrate excellence within the community.
This year's awards night was organized in partnership with La Palm, Barclays Bank Ghana, Ernst and Young, Imani Impressionz, Stanbic Bank, Focus Digital and Prime Shades Ltd. Other sponsors included Stelin Automative and Trading Company, RPC, L’aine Services Limited, Peine, Chocolate Clothes, SugarKane Clothing, Right to Dream Academy, OA Transport, Silverbird Cinemas, Scratch Studios Entertainment and Klasseq Awards.
In her welcome address, the President of the Ashesi Student Council, Esther Addei '16, encouraged guests to take inspiration from the award winners. “At Ubora, we are able to stoke the internal fire that builds and protects our brand," she said. “Today’s gathering is important not only because we will acknowledge those who have excelled within our community, but also, it is important because we hope it will serve as an inspiration to the entire community to make the pursuit of excellence a lifestyle."
The Student Scholarship Awards were the first to be given away. Kafui Vorgbe ‘16 swept the award for Bright Star to a standing ovation. Likewise, Israel Ayobami Oladejo ’16 and Daniel Addae Bonsu ‘16, recipients of the Golden Mouse and Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards respectively, were congratulated for their immense contributions to campus life with resounding rounds of applause. (Click here to see the full list of award categories and winners).
Yawa Hansen Quao ‘07, the keynote speaker challenged guests to live excellently. “Hold assumptions lightly,” she said. “To live more excellently, treat everyone, no matter how they look or sound, as though they were awesome. Don’t chase shiny things; chase the things that are meaningful and purposeful. Chase the idea or pursue the vision that helps you put your full potential to use, because that's where you will be most joyful."
The night was also punctuated with performances from members of the community, as well as guest artiste, Adoma who got guests to their feet with her eclectic musical fusion.
About Ubora
The Ubora Awards, a tradition started by the Ashesi Student Council (ASC), aims at inspiring members of the Ashesi community to reach for excellence in their daily work. The categories of awards capture all the aspects of student, faculty, staff and alumni life. The awards essentially capture the three pillars of Ashesi; Leadership, Citizenship and Scholarship.
Ubora 2015: Full list of Categories and Winners
Bright Star: Kafui Vorgbe '16
To a student who exhibits academic excellence both inside and outside of a classroom. This student is intellectually curious and constantly asks questions that broaden the conversation and is committed to proactively sharing knowledge with peers.
Entrepreneurial Spirit: Daniel Adae Bonsu '16
To a student who exemplifies the ideals of entrepreneurship and puts business theory to practice in a socially conscious way.
Golden Mouse: Israel Ayobami Oladejo '16
To a student who uses their knowledge in Computer Science to constantly improve the lives of others and assist peers with IT related issues.
Leadership In Action: Dorcas Amoh Mensah
To a student or student group that takes initiative and goes beyond the call of duty to leave an indelible mark on the lives of others, no matter how small. This award must not necessarily go to the student leaders.
Sports Man & Woman of the Year: Benson Surimi Wachira '16 & Ayele Commodore-Mensah '17
To a male and female student who have shown keen interest in sports and are committed to improving sports at Ashesi.
Rising Star: Naa Betty Santi Sackey '18
To a freshman or sophomore who has demonstrated initiative, drive and leadership and is committed to making an impact here at Ashesi.
Campus Impact: Dorcas Amoh Mensah '16
To a student or student group that has, in the past year, organized an event or activity to liven campus life. This could be a one-time event or a tradition.
Community Engagement: Outreach Committee
To a student or student group that has, in the past year demonstrated a commitment to serving others outside the Ashesi Community.
Male Star Image: Festus Emmanuel Jartu '16
Female Star Image: Aisha Abba Mohammed '18
Most Outstanding Class: Class of 2018
To the class that exhibits overall excellence in all spheres of community life – turning up and participating in community activities, demonstrating scholarship and leadership in their interactions with other classes and having fun!
Student Personality of the Year: Daniel Addae Bonsu '16
To a student who exemplifies all three pillars of Ashesi in their daily life.
Most Outstanding Faculty: Kobina Graham, Arts & Sciences Dep’t
To the faculty member who expanded the horizons, skills, and value systems of Ashesi students by providing support and guidance both inside and outside of the classroom.
Most Outstanding Faculty Intern: Albert Ninepence '14
Most Outstanding Staff: Salome Okoh, Associate Dean of Students and Community Affairs
To the staff member, who has demonstrated a continual commitment to the pillars of Ashesi with a self-evident belief in the need to enhance student life in a positive way.
Most Outstanding Alum: Yawa Hansen Quao '07
To the alumnus/a who constantly strives for excellence in his or her chosen field, continually embodies the core values of Ashesi and still supports the mission of the university.
A.S.C. Special Award: Anna Riemmer
This award was given for her outstanding service to the student body and the ASC