Educational Pathways International (EPI) Officials Pay Courtesy Call on Pro-Vice Chancellor

President of Educational Pathways International (EPI) USA, Mrs. Sara Lafrance,  has visited the University of Ghana to interact with beneficiaries of the EPI scholarship and also to conduct selection interviews for new students. 

She and her husband, Mr. Leonard Lafrance, EPI, paid called on the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, as part of their visit to the University to interview and administer EPI scholarships to students of the University who have applied for financial assistance and have subsequently been shortlisted.

Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

Welcoming the team, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo expressed appreciation on behalf of the University to the benefactors for their continuous support in the area of education. She commended the EPI for consistently maintaining its partnership with the university for close to a decade.  Prof. Amfo noted that the University has brilliant but needy students who can achieve academic laurels in future if they are given the necessary financial support. She pledged the University’s unflinching support to ensuring that the partnership between EPI and the University is further strengthened.

Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo interacting with Mr. & Mrs. Lafrance

Mrs. Sara Lafrance, in her remarks expressed appreciation to the University for its continuous support. She noted that EPI is an initiative programme that recognizes, supports and empowers gifted young people in need through a comprehensive University Scholarship programme, enabling them to develop their talents and make a difference in their country.

The EPI President disclosed that the scholarship covers the tuition and accommodation fees for students. She further recounted that students under the EPI scholarship have formed an association in order to keep in touch with one another and take on humanitarian projects in the society. Mrs. Lafrance added that the initiative was more than a scholarship. She disclosed that they have been organizing programmes and seminars where they take the beneficiaries through a variety of topics and leadership training skills, adding that the initiative has been running in eight countries since its inception.

In his remarks, Mr. Leonard Lafrance expressed appreciation to the University for identifying and choosing the right candidates for the scheme. He added that they have constituted a board that also screens the candidates to select the qualified ones.

Mrs. Christine Banning, Head, Students Financial Aid Office

The head of the Students Financial Aid Office (SFAO), Mrs. Christine Banning, noted that the EPI has operated in the University of Ghana since 2009/2010 and has over the years become quite a competitive scholarship. She mentioned that currently they have 31 undergraduate students whose scholarship will be renewed alongside 4 graduate students. She noted that beneficiary students who fall below the 3.0 CGPA are dropped; however no beneficiary was dropped this year because they all made the pass mark. She added that at the end of the call for applications, there was a total of 63 applicants for the 2019/2020 academic year which was made up of 40 males and 23 females, 35 of which were freshmen/women at level 100 and 28 continuing students.  She revealed that the process the students went through was a competitive one.  “There was the 1st short listing which was followed by the first set of interviews, a 2nd shortlist which was sent to EPI for screening and a 3rd short listing” she said. Mrs. Banning indicated that 15 applicants would be interviewed and the successful ones would be chosen.

Present at the meeting were Ms. Eunice Egan, Local Director EPI, Mrs. Maame Efua Ocansey, Fundraiser, Students Financial Aid Office and Mr. Henry Djane, Students Financial Aid Office.