When the roll of academic excellence was called for the class of 2024 at the congregation of Ashesi University, it was a female Computer Science graduate, Leanne Annor-Adjaye who emerged as the Valedictorian.
But if you suffer from Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia or Sesquipedalophobia, which simply means the fear of long or big words, then let’s just break Valedictorian down and say she graduated top of her class with a very impressive GPA.
She was also a co-recipient of the Best Thesis Capstone Award for an AI-driven capstone project, which focused on improving small business revenue.
Leanne completed 36 courses in her programme, and even though Ashesi does not have a culture of informing students who topped each course, Techfocus24 gathered that at least two lecturers named Leanne as topping their courses – Software Engineering as well as Computer Networks and Data Communication.
Beyond her academic prowess, Leanne also kept a remarkable record of leadership and service during her four years at Ashesi.
She excelled as a Career Peer Advisor with the Ashesi Career Services. In this role, she assisted students in refining their CVs, organized educational sessions on career development and networking, and created informative posters for social media platforms like Instagram to enhance career awareness among her peers.
In addition to her role in career services, Leanne dedicated her time to the Ashesi Innovation Experience Program as a robotics coach.
She engaged high school students in learning about Ashesi’s programs and fostering their interest in undergraduate studies, while also imparting valuable skills in leadership and design thinking.
Leanne’s commitment to her community extended to her involvement with a Christian fellowship on campus, where she served as an executive member.
Her dedication to her faith and service was evident in her active participation and leadership within the fellowship.
She strives to show that it is possible to serve God with all your heart, soul, and mind while also excelling academically.
Known for her proactive approach, Leanne consistently took the lead in group projects, ensured timely completion of tasks, and actively supported her classmates by explaining complex concepts.
Her disciplined work ethic, willingness to help others, and focus on self-improvement have been hallmarks of her academic and extracurricular endeavors.
Leanne is passionate about promoting STEM careers among females and aspires to establish businesses while pursuing advanced degrees.
Her goals include earning a master’s and PhD in fields such as robotics, AI, or machine learning, with a vision of contributing to both academia and industry.
In an exclusive interview, Leanne attributed her achievement to God, but also spelt out a set of personal values that played a pivotal role in her getting to the top.
She said “I attribute this achievement, first and foremost, to God. Additionally, my discipline, clear sense of purpose, and strong focus on my goals have played crucial roles in my success. Finally, to my friends and close family members.”
According to Leanne, even though her classmates kept saying she was in the run for the Valedictorian slot, she still did not expect it because there were equally very smart students in her class, if not better.
On why she opted for Computer Science, a male dominated program, she said her brother was her inspiration because he introduced her to the idea of how the world is rapidly evolving digitally and where it could be within the next few years, and encouraged her to explore programming to see if she had an interest in Computer Science. “I did, and from there, everything fell into place.”
She said initially the course was challenging because, she had just gone to Ashesi from a WASSCE background, “where many things were not as demanding.”
However, once she got a good grasp of the concepts, she found it much more manageable and at times, even enjoyable.
Leanne plans to pursue a master’s eventually a PhD in a field of Computer Science, with a focus on Robotics, AI, or Machine Learning, and her ultimate goal is to work for a leading tech company, while also establishing one or two businesses and charity organizations.
She has some advice for young and upcoming girls who want to pursue careers in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
She said “Don’t let anyone define what you can or cannot achieve. If someone tells you that something is beyond your reach, focus on proving to yourself—and then to them—that you’re more than capable of not just doing it, but excelling at it.”
For Leanne, the biggest values she took from Ashesi was not her academic achievements, but rather the importance of connection – kindness to everyone, seizing opportunities as they come, and always being willing to lend a helping hand.
