This UoPeople Student Is Learning Business Administration Skills to Make His Dreams Come True

“Growing up in a small community like Fomena and Akango did not offer me the future I wanted,” says Festus. Festus had big dreams that he didn’t think had room to grow in his current circumstances. “Financial restraints have always been a daily struggle for our household, but I still vowed to not give up. I was determined,” he adds.

After finishing middle school, Festus worked for two years to pay for his senior high school. Following his admission to Unity International College, Adenta, Accra, Ghana, he became a construction worker and volunteered in the school’s administration, which helped to financially support his education. . Even with these jobs, Festus found it difficult to afford the immense cost of a college education. “My goal after graduating in 2015 was to become a lecturer and own my own business on the side, but it felt like an impossible goal,” he admits.

However, Festus saw his first glimmer of hope when he found the answer to his troubles in UoPeople. He first discovered UoPeople in 2017 when he saw an advertisement on his Facebook feed. “I followed the link to the website out of plain curiosity and felt it could be a great opportunity for me. Gaining insight into business administration via a degree only seemed practical. I chose to join UoPeople in 2020 and purse my Associate’s degree in Business Administration. I was even fortunate enough to receive a scholarship. I am so excited to share that I will be graduating this year,” he says with a huge smile.

Fetus believes University of the People has given him the knowledge and skills needed to make his dreams come true. “It’s not only a great place to study but also a wonderful place to make friends from all over the world and grow my professional network,” he says.

He found the Accounting and Personal Finance courses to be particularly challenging but he adds that“structured hard work and valuable support from instructors helped me succeed. The course instructors monitored my studies and kept tabs on my progress throughout the week. I found it comfortable to voice concerns, share insights, develop relationships with instructors and peers, and get help with any challenges I encountered in my studies.”

So, what does the future hold for Festus? He hopes to set up a consultation center in the near future to provide advice and support to local businesses in his hometown, Ghana. He wishes to use the knowledge attained earning his Associate’s in Business Administration at UoPeople to set up a management consulting firm that would address the most critical issues facing people setting up businesses.

Festus wants to provide organizations across Ghana support in terms of strategy, marketing, organizational management, operations, technology, advanced analytics, etc. He also wants to participate in ensuring the sustainable growth of his homeland. Even though a strong proponent of technological and industrial advancement, Festus believes that nature and human well-being should not be compromised in the process. Here at UoPeople, we look forward to seeing all that Festus works to accomplish come to fruition.