After a year-long internal and external search, Ashesi’ Executive Team announced Dr. Suzanne Buchele as Ashesi’s third Provost. Dr. Buchele who assumed the role on the 1st of July, 2016, takes over from Dr. Marcia Grant who served as Provost for three and a half years. As Provost, Dr. Buchele will head the faculty and all academic matters at Ashesi.
Suzanne Buchele earned a B.A. Summa Cum Laude in Mathematical Sciences from Connecticut College in 1985. After graduating from Connecticut College, she worked as a Programmer/Research Scientist for Scientific Measurement Systems (a small company that designed and built industrial CAT scanners), after which she went on to do an M.A. in Mathematics, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Sciences from the University of Texas, Austin. Suzanne joined the faculty of Southwestern University in 1998 and was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in 2006. At Southwestern, she served in faculty leadership and received a university-wide teaching award.
Suzanne was Ashesi’s first Fulbright Scholar, from 2006-2007. She extended her Fulbright to 2007-2008, when she took on the role of Acting Dean of Academic Affairs at Ashesi. After her return to Southwestern University, Suzanne remained engaged with Ashesi, serving as a visiting lecturer during the summers of 2010 and 2012
In 2014, Dr. Buchele returned to Ashesi as full-time Associate Professor of Computer Science and Associate Provost. Since her return to Ashesi, Suzanne has been instrumental in Ashesi’s growth, serving as a member of the Executive Committee; leading the curriculum development committee for our new engineering program; and leading the development of Ashesi’s application to host the Ghana Climate Innovation Center. As Associate Provost, she has also shared responsibility with the Provost in managing Ashesi’s Academic Programs.
“I am grateful to the Executive Team for this opportunity to work alongside them and continue our efforts in making Ashesi the very best it can be,” said Dr. Buchele. “At Ashesi, we all seek to push students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers and help them develop into the ethical, entrepreneurial leaders that Africa needs. Our faculty already exposes students to new ideas and pedagogies, and guide them to see Africa’s problems as their opportunities. I will continue Dr. Grant’s legacy and work with faculty to deliver our existing programs with excellence. I also look forward to working with stakeholders to develop new innovative programs that expand Ashesi’s reach.”