Ex-Microsoft worker who founded Ghana school given “genius grant”

Ghana has some innovative education initiatives going on. Not the least of which is Ashesi University and its founder Patrick Awuah.

Patrick Awuah, who walked away from a career at Microsoft to start a university in his home country of Ghana, last week was one of the 24 recipients of this year’s “genius grants,” $625,000 awards paid out over five years by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Ashesi University is a private, non-profit liberal arts college located in Ghana, West Africa. The university’s mission is to educate a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within students the critical thinking skills, the concern for others and the courage it will take to transform their continent.