Female students pursuing various academic disciplines at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Faculty of Arts have garnered more accolades at the Faculty’s student excellence awards ceremony held on Wednesday.
Of the 92 awardees, 61 of them are females.
The ceremony, known as the ‘Dean’s Awards,’ is aimed at acknowledging academic excellence, dedication and perseverance among exceptional students.
The remarkable accomplishments of the female students marked a significant departure from previous ceremonies, which were last held nine years ago and were male-dominated.
Ms Abena Peggy Coleman, a level 100 Bachelor of Arts (BA) Communication Studies student, emerged as the top performer with a CGPA of 3.95.
The awardees were presented with certificates and Ms Coleman received an additional undisclosed monetary award from Mr Kwamena Minta Nyarku, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North.
The students are offering various programmes such as BA in African Studies, Arts, Communication Studies, Film Studies, Linguistics, and Music.
Among these programmes, BA Communication Studies had the highest number of awardees with 50 recipients, followed by BA Arts with 36, BA Linguistics with three, whilst Music, Film Studies, and African Studies each had one recipient.
In the Level 100 category, Ms Coleman led the group, closely followed by Mr Freeman Diona Jatasha, BA Arts Music, with a CGPA of 3.87 and Mr Dieter Boakye, BA Arts History/Chinese with a CGPA of 3.86.
Nana Afua Doku-Coleman, BA Communication Studies, took the lead for Level 200 with a CGPA of 3.94 and Ms Christina Hahayi Norvi, BA Arts English/Ghanaian Language, also followed with a CGPA of 3.909.
Ms Theodora Yournuo, BA Linguistics, with a CGPA of 3.90 and Mr Benjamin Oduro topped Level 300.
Prof Kwabena Sarfo Sarfo-Kantankah, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, stated that in an era increasingly dominated by technology and science, the study of Humanities often encountered undervaluation.
Nevertheless, the Humanities are indispensable for cultivating well-rounded, reflective and engaged individuals for accelerated national development.
‘In a world that is in constant evolution, the pursuit of knowledge remains an unwavering guiding light. Our students have not only embraced this pursuit but have excelled in it, showcasing a resolute dedication to their academic endeavours.
‘Their academic journey has been characterised by nocturnal study sessions, arduous projects and an unyielding determination to achieve success,’ he emphasised.
Prof Phillip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, a distinguished Professor of Law and the Vice Chancellor of the Methodist University, encouraged the students to foster entrepreneurship to tackle pressing issues as supplementary revenue streams.
They should continue to cultivate and refine their skills to position themselves as experts and to carve out a distinctive identity for catalysing transformative change.
‘Acquiring a degree should hold intrinsic value for personal growth and leadership development.
‘However, it is imperative to seize opportunities for continuous learning and to effect positive change within your community,’ he advised.
Source: Ghana News Agency