So Long a Fellowship

Three-and-half Months' Worth of Name Tags

On Friday, June 13, 2014 I was set to leave Ghana to the United States with 17 amazing Ghanaians to participate in the (Mandela) Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. At the airport, I discovered I could not leave because of an error on my visa. Essentially, Ghana would have no problem sending me out but the US would not allow me entry. I obediently said goodbye to my counterparts, had by bags unchecked, and headed back home for a lovely weekend.

Come Monday morning, the efficiency with which the US Embassy in Ghana rectified the situation was impressive and, by Monday night, I was on a plane wondering what it would feel like being the last of my cohort to arrive at Wagner College on Staten Island, New York. When Curtis Wright picked me up at the airport and made me feel so welcome, I knew I had nothing to worry about - "Number 25" had finally arrived and all was set.

One-third of Team Wagner, Toms River, NJ

Summing up the six-week academic institute on the Civic Leadership track at Wagner College, in one paragraph, is probably one of the most difficult things I am ever going to do. The US State Department, through IREX, could not have made a better placement decision for me. The genuine interest of Wagner's Faculty and Administration in fellows' professional and personal growth and well-being was phenomenally demonstrated in the course content, the networking opportunities, site visits, community service, and cultural activities. More importantly, an environment was created for 25 very different young Africans to learn from each other and understand the need for collaboration. I also got to experience the colourful, organized craziness that is New York City.

The Presidential Summit following the academic institute was pleasantly overwhelming. Besides it being an opportunity to meet 475 other young Africans, it put my public speaking and summary skills to the test. Also, in one of the many side events that took place, I was able to share my thoughts on the value of higher education. Meeting and having a conversation with Mrs. Michelle Obama during the summit was truly inspiring. It was humbling to observe the potential that the US government sees in young Africans. However, what mattered to me most was seeing and interacting with so many like-minded young people from countries in my sub-region and in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

At "Investing in Our Future" at the US-Africa Leaders Summit

As my friends went home at the end of the summit the tempo of the Fellowship experience changed. It was time to become a Peace Corps intern for eight weeks. But before that, there was the US-Africa Leaders Summit. Details of that experience will require a separate article. Nevertheless, I was glad to share a lunch table with the First Lady of Mali and draw inspiration from how much she wanted to make a difference in her country. The energizing performance of Soul Children of Chicago set my mind ablaze with ideas for the children's and school choirs that I work with.

At My Desk at Peace Corps Africa Region

My placement at Peace Corps was yet another accurate decision. The work environment relied on relationships and connections with people without compromising on professionalism. I observed leadership in action by shadowing various organizational and departmental heads; I worked on budget reviews; I learned about and participated in volunteerism. I was connected with various organizations and individuals working with people with learning disabilities; I developed structures for a database management system for Village of Hope.

Today is Monday, September 29, 2014 and I am back home in Ghana. I am a Wagner International Associate and a Mandela Washington Fellow. These titles and credentials mean nothing unless I get back to work - unless I work even harder and smarter, with even higher standards of integrity.