Six students of the Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG) have been offered the Youth Excellence League (YEL) scholarship.
The six students: Asare Lily Owusu, Nwanbil Michael Yiniwonti, Afum Emmanuel Ohemeng, Agyekum Kofi Baah, Okai Naa-Odey Mawulehanor and Adoo Kezia Korantemaa, all level 200 students were presented with Citation and ₵3,000.00 each at a short ceremony held at the Okwahu Campus of the University.
The six awardees were part of 29 shortlisted students from all Departments based on Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.70 and above. They were selected after going through a set of rigorous assessment criteria of aptitude test and interview.
The Vice President of PUCG, Prof. Frank S. Arku, who chairs the Scholarship Committee of the University, congratulated the winners of the YEL scholarship and admonished them to work hard to upgrade their skills and knowledge through the mentorship programme under the YEL Project.
Presbyterian University College, Ghana was selected for hard work towards producing disciplined graduates to take up leadership roles in society in fulfillment of its motto “Discipline in Leadership”.
The YEL Awards, which is an initiative of the Beige Foundation, a Social Responsibility arm of the Beige, advances Life Skill Development programmes through empowerment initiatives that train, support and promote youth development.
The Beige Foundation support students who have excelled either academically or non-academically with capital and skill training programmes to start life. This is aimed at empowering the students to contribute to the development of their communities.
The Director of Beige Foundation, Ms. Akosua Koranteng Addae explained that the Foundation initiates projects targeted at bridging the gap between academia and industry.
According to her the awardees would be given the opportunity to meet industry players for vital information that could transform their careers and be exposed to professional office skills initiatives that would help them fit well into the corporate world after school.
Ms. Akosua Koranteng Addae disclosed that the Beige Foundation has entered into partnership with PUCG to facilitate good collaboration between academia and industry through programmes and projects.
The Foundation will award the Best Overall graduate at the 2018 PUCG graduation ceremony as part of the partnership.
The President of PUCG, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng lauded the Beige Foundation for the initiative and support to students noting that this enterprise of Beige Foundation is one practical way of bridging the gap between the training of students by the Universities and the expectations of industry.
Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng said while we takes interest in what industry needs, the industry should also take interest in academia and give students more openings and exposure so that students would fit well in the working environment of the industry.
One of the beneficiaries, Lily Asare Owusu who spoke on behalf of her colleagues expressed gratitude to the Beige Foundation for the gesture and pleaded with industry to take up such initiatives in both the tertiary and second cycle schools.
She explained that there are a lot of students like them who are struggling to complete their education because of financial constraints and believes initiative like the Youth Excellence League is the right way to go in dealing with some of these challenges.
Lily Asare Owusu admitted that the award requires them to work harder so that more students will be exposed to such opportunities.