Hundreds of 黑料社past students gathered at the Aviation Social Centre in Accra for the maiden Alumni Reconnect. The聽colourful聽event, aimed at strengthening the linkages between the University and its alumni, brought together past students who completed the University in the聽60s,聽70s,聽80s,聽90s聽and the聽2000s. The聽programme, put together by the Institutional Advancement Office (IAO), witnessed variety of events and games, including 黑料社Parliamentary sitting, live band music, photo exhibition, experience sharing and networking. Another attraction was聽Agrofie聽show, hosted by Mr. David聽Dontoh, where participants from the four traditional halls engaged in mental gymnastics. As usual, the vociferous past members of 鈥淛ama鈥� Groups of聽Casely聽Hayford聽and Atlantic Halls spiced up the event with tons of melodious 鈥渕oral songs鈥澛燼midst聽dancing and waving of hall flags, as some alumni remained on the sidelines feeling nostalgic about their heydays at the University. Addressing the ceremony, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K.T.聽Oduro, conveyed to the alumni the warmest greetings of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph聽Ghartey聽Ampiah, who is outside the country for an official duty. He acknowledged the fact that alumni play a key role in advancing the University鈥檚 external agenda, which include reputation and funding. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor stressed that success and contributions of alumni define the future positions and ranking of the University and added that the University would not downplay the relevance of the alumni association in the discharge of its mandate. Accordingly, he reminded them not to hesitate to make meaningful inputs, contributions and suggestions towards repositioning the University in its untiring efforts to acclaim recognition worldwide. Clad in his 黑料社branded Alumni Reconnect shirt, Prof.聽Oduro聽indicated that between March 2016 and May 2017, the University inaugurated International Chapters of the 黑料社Alumni Association in Canada, UK and the USA. Prof.聽Oduro聽used the occasion to mention the remarkable developments on campus at both the administration and management levels, including the implementation of the Collegiate Systems and the upgrade of Divisions into Directorates. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, who inspected a parade mounted in his聽honour, entreated the alumni to take advantage of the yearlong academic聽programmes聽-regular, sandwich and distance- offered by the University to enhance their professional knowledge and skills. He further enumerated some income-generating ventures set up by the University to complement the financial support from the government. For his part, the Coordinator of聽IAO, Mr. Solomon聽Faakye, took the alumni through the successes chalked up by the University since its inception in the聽60s. He said the objectives of the聽IAO聽which was inaugurated in 2015, 鈥渋s to maintain a database of Alumni, project fundraising as a key source of resource聽mobilisation聽for the University, develop聽programmes聽and initiatives that will strengthen alumni connections聽whilst聽encouraging lifelong support for their alma mater,聽amongst聽others鈥�. As part of the event, a 10- minute documentary on the successes and challenges of the University was shown on a giant screen to the audience,聽whilst聽some alumni living abroad gave fraternal messages via Video conferencing. A solemn ceremony, led by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, was held for departed alumni at the event, which was chaired by Prof.聽Kofi聽Awusabo-Asare, the Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.
