{"id":2072,"date":"2016-05-27T13:54:48","date_gmt":"2016-05-27T18:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=2072"},"modified":"2025-09-10T12:02:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T17:02:47","slug":"grad-employs-skills-home-ghana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/grad-employs-skills-home-ghana\/","title":{"rendered":"Elizabeth Hammond, ’16, Employs Skills at Home in Ghana"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reading time: 5 minutes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Some new graduates worry about getting their first job out of college. But not Elizabeth Hammond, \u201916. Not only does she have a position, but the boss adores her. After all, he\u2019s her dad.<\/p>\n

Hammond\u2019s returning to her home in Ghana to become her father\u2019s professional assistant at the bank where he\u2019s the CEO.\u00a0 She\u2019s looking forward to working with him while also fulfilling a Ghanaian government requirement to return for one year after completing an undergraduate degree abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m killing two birds with one stone,\u201d Hammond says.<\/p>\n

She\u2019ll use her major in strategic communications to provide information to the press and communicate with her dad\u2019s business partners. With her minor in information systems<\/a>, Hammond hopes to make an even more significant impact.<\/p>\n

The bank\u2019s website \u2014 like most websites in Ghana, she says \u2014 isn\u2019t user-friendly and doesn\u2019t translate well to mobile devices. She hopes to bring it up to speed with those of American companies.<\/p>\n

I picked Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ from Google. I didn\u2019t have anybody saying, \u2018This is the right fit for you.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cIn the U.S., you go to a website and in a few clicks, you\u2019ll get what you want,\u201d Hammond says. \u201cIn Ghana, it\u2019s more like, the information may be there \u2014 but you have to find it.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a year, Hammond plans to return to the U.S. for a master\u2019s in communications. When she\u2019s finished with that degree, she\u2019ll return to Ghana for good. There, she\u2019d like to become a public relations guru, to further what she sees as a lagging profession in her country.<\/p>\n

Hammond\u2019s ultimate goal is to start a consulting agency to help international students<\/a> navigate choosing and attending college in the U.S. or other countries. She knows first-hand what it\u2019s like to have no help with such an important decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI picked Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ from Google. I didn\u2019t have anybody saying, \u2018This is the right fit for you,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Luckily, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s small size and friendly, student-centered campus turned out to be perfect for Hammond, whose accomplishments include reviving the African Students Association.<\/p>\n

She anticipates a meaningful year ahead of reconnecting with her family, which includes 15 brothers and sisters. In the meantime, she can\u2019t wait to enjoy the Ghanaian weather, which is quite different from that of St. Louis. \u201cConstant warmth and no snow,\u201d Hammond says.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hammond was one of two student commencement speakers this spring (see Allie Patton, ’16<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very honored to be selected to speak at our graduation,\u201d she says. \u201cIt gave me the opportunity to share a little about myself and also shed light on the process it takes for international students to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An excerpt from Hammond\u2019s commencement address:<\/strong><\/h6>\n

\u201cToday we are here because we have climbed a mountain and have successfully made it to the peak without passing out! Maybe some of us needed extra oxygen along the way, but most importantly we made it! On our journey, we met people who touched our lives. Some of us have become more diverse and come to understand how globally connected the world has become. We have learned to be patient (like with that one person who takes up all the washers and dryers in the laundry room). We have learned teamwork and leadership (free t-shirts and food is the secret to making any event on-campus a success); but most importantly, our experiences were intertwined, and that is what Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ is all about\u2014great, life-changing experiences.<\/p>\n

In my three years here, I have experienced a lot of things; some of which I know in my heart I would never try again. I know I will never<\/em> go ice-skating again and I truly appreciate God for not creating snow in Ghana. On the other hand, there are some things that I know will forever be a part of me. I will always cherish my time working with the African Student Organization to introduce our culture to the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ community. This experience was so impactful for me that I ended up changing my major from forensic science to communications, because I found my passion through organizing events and creating a home away from home for the African students on campus. These memories make me feel sentimental about leaving the wonderful faculty and staff members who lifted up our spirits with their smiles and caring thoughts and because of the mentors who went out of their way to teach us how the world works.<\/p>\n

So, to fully answer the question, \u201cWhy Ä¢¹½´«Ã½?\u201d Maybe Google helped me find Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, but today, I can tell you that finding Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ was the best discovery of my life. Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ gave me more than a good education; it gave me a family, made up of people from all over the world, and the courage to follow my passion, and be just me, Elizabeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/i>Love<\/span>0<\/span><\/span><\/a> <\/i> <\/i>