A delegation from the Mastercard Foundation has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson on Tuesday, 13th February 2024 at the Council Chamber of the University.
The purpose of the visit, according to Professor Kofi Owusu-Daaku, the Lead and Principal Investigator (PI) of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST (MCFSP at KNUST), was to interact with the Management of KNUST. He added that the team would also discuss ways to enhance and build upon the existing initiatives at KNUST under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
The leader of the delegation, Dr. Tina Muparadzi, the Executive Director for Education and Transition, emphasised their outfit’s delight to partner with KNUST and forge discussion for the Phase 3 expansion of the Scholars Program at KNUST. She noted that the team was impressed with the achievements of the various initiatives in the Phase 2 and looked forward to the immediate commencement of the next phase. Dr. Tina shared her excitement about the partnership, stating that “KNUST is the centre of transformation, and we are proud of this association. What makes us who we are is what helps us evolve as transformative leaders,” she emphasised. She again mentioned that her office oversaw assisting scholars on how to transition into the job market after school. She added that their goal is to make education possible, safe, and accessible for people who never dreamt of having it.
The Vice-Chancellor in her remarks, asserted that impacting lives and shaping destinies is the hallmark of the University. To this end, she stated that KNUST focuses on training students to become transformational leaders to impact the globe and solve societal problems. “For us, what keeps us awake is training these young ones to become functional and problem solvers in our societies,” she stressed. She said that achieving such success can be possible with partners like the Mastercard Foundation. Professor (Mrs.) Dickson expressed her gratitude to the team at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST for their dedicated efforts in driving the visions of the Mastercard Foundation and KNUST forward.
The delegation seized the opportunity to engage and interact with both students and some selected alumni of the MCFSP at KNUST.