- Part of the big business of ASU is the innovation and so
Mastercard tapped us to think creatively
about another way that we can
continue to provide access to higher education
for young Africans who are on continent in a way that allows
for partnership building and institutional building.
Through that came SIL
which is the Strengthening Institutional Linkages program
and essentially it allows us to partner with two institutions
on continent in Ghana specifically
with the idea that we would have students start off at their
home institutions, come to ASU to finish off their fourth year
and then go through an accelerated master’s program.
- I grew up in the third largest city in Zimbabwe
which is called Gweru.
Going to Ashesi it was a different kind of environment
because it's a university that prides itself
in creating the next leaders in Africa.
And then coming now to Arizona I sort of see
how that sort of culminates where there were perhaps gaps
due to the small size of Ashesi.
There are now more opportunities at ASU.
So I'm now able to implement the skills that I have learned.
- So I decided to join ASU because I believe
that the opportunity will open up more horizons for me
and for the opportunity of becoming a transformative leader
back in my community.
I decided to study computer science
because I'm passionate about technology.
And I believe that if Africa is able to leverage the power
of technology, we'll be able to create more revenue.
We'll be able to create a more sustainable economic growth
and be able to develop our communities.
- I'm actually from the central region of Ghana
but I lived and I grew up in Accra.
So my research work is trying to understand
or trying to bring up therapeutics that are going to
help us regenerate and heal
whenever we have an injury that is related
to our nervous system.
- I was born in Kumasi at Akwatialine in Ghana
and I used to live in a compound house with a lot of people
so it was like a little bit of community.
My friends were still in the streets
to actually fend for themselves
because of the financial constraints.
And so I decided to take upon myself
to help people to be financially independent.
So that if they are to fulfill their potential
and that was why I decided to pursue finance.
- I've been in Accra my whole life,
where my mom and my dad work as traders
in the Kantamanto Market.
I had a chance to experience some of the things that they do
as businessmen and women.
I've had this desire since childhood
to kind of like move into business.
- When I think about giving back,
I think it's just a responsibility we have
to go back to our communities and just invest back
because people have also invested in us.
- For the next chapter of my life,
I'm looking forward to gaining more practical experiences
in precision and regenerative medicine by working.
And then in the long term being able to set up
a research facility in Ghana
where we can do amazing research
to be able to impact the African society
and the world at large.
- I think that as transformational leaders
we are being given the opportunity
to create a path for others.
I want to be an expert in the financial market.
I believe that through that process
I can help Ghanaians to create wealth for themselves
and also to contribute toward the financial stability
of the country.
- One of my biggest achievements has been the fact
that I'll be joining Google after graduating
and growing up in Gomoa,
I never thought in any of my wildest dreams
that I would be working for Google.
- What excites me most about graduating
is the fact that I get to put smiles
on the faces of my parents and my family.
The significance of having a master's degree
and being a woman and from Africa and being a Muslim to me
is that it brings a lot of hope and confidence.
So being able to achieve this master's degree
and having this experience is just a beacon of hope
to others knowing that you can do this.
If Nazira Kwanda has been able to get this.
- I believe one of the values scholars bring to ASU
is part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars
giving back ethos.
They are all coming to ASU
with the idea of giving back to their communities.
- My favorite part about working with the scholars
is this particular cohort, cohort 8
is a historic and unique cohort
because this is the only cohort
that has experienced a global pandemic.
- As they spent their first year online unexpectedly
their first time meeting and engaging with each other
as well as with staff was an amazing, amazing time.
The feeling in the room of joy and excitement was palpable.
- One word to describe the scholars, tenacious,
very determined, just the right amount of stubborn
that will get you sort of the leadership traits
that you need for someone who is going to be steadfast
in a principle and hold true to it.