By Prince Acquah
Cape Coast, Sept 29, GNA – The School of Business of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Wednesday rewarded some 290 undergraduate students at the 2022 edition of the Dean’s Award for their distinguished academic performance in the 2021 academic year.
Each of the students, from level 200 to 400, obtained a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.6 and above in their respective Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) courses in the year under review.
One-hundred and eighty-six (186) received the award in 2021, representing a 64 per cent increase but a drop of 40 per cent from the previous year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, level 200 students received many of awards with 141 students winning against 69 and 80 of levels 300 and 400 respectively.
A total of 18 students from all levels whose CGPA ranged from 3.613 to 4.0 were crowned overall best in Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management, Marketing, and Procurement and Supply Chain Management and received special awards from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG).
All 290 awardees were given certificates by the school.
The Dean’s Award was instituted in the 2008/2009 academic year to recognise and motivate high-performing students with a CGPA of 3.6 and above every academic year.
This year’s event was supported and attended by several professional institutions including ICAG, Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Ghana (CIMA), Chartered Institute of Taxation, Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF).
Heads and students of various secondary schools in Cape Coast including Mfantsipim School and Ghana National College were also present to experience the highly patronised event.
Prof. John Gartchie Gatsi, the Dean of UCC School of Business, noted that given the number of level 400 awardees, the school was likely to see about 80 students graduating with first class at the next graduation ceremony.
He said the school had deliberately created an ideal environment to produce globally fit-for-purpose graduates who could work in multicultural environments with good interpersonal skills, innovation and data skills.
Prof Gatsi stressed that programmes in the school were developed in close collaboration with professional bodies and constant engagement with industry for which reason students were passing professional examinations in great numbers just after graduation.
“Internships and attachments are integral parts of the environment created for our students. We, therefore, appeal to businesses and organisations to support the school to get placements for internships for our students,” he implored.
He added: “Internship reports received from companies and organisations where our students serve as interns are encouraging.”
Prof Gatsi said the school was making efforts to integrate foundational and high-level data skills in its programmes, announcing that they had introduced a new two-credit course called Professional Development Skills at level 400.
“We consolidate various skills needed in industry and the world of work including skills for writing psychometric tests,” he noted.
About contests, Prof Gatsi touted the school’s achievements. Saying, they are the current champions of the Graphic Tertiary Business Sense Challenge and that they were working assiduously to win their third title in the 2022 version in October.
He recognised and expressed gratitude to all professional bodies and organisations for their continuous support both in cash and in kind.
Among others, he mentioned that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CIMA where alumni of the University were writing CIMA examination at a 75-per cent discount.
“ICAG has promised to develop the back of the School of Business as a students’ learning garden,” he said, adding: “this morning, ACCA handed over a resource centre to us.”
He further announced: “There is going to be serious collaborations with some universities in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Me Hilton John Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Jonmoore International Limited, a transport and logistics company, urged students and prospective job seekers to be honest and patient in their endeavours to see success.
He observed that the biggest headache of entrepreneurs and employers in recent times was finding an honest and reliable human resource for desired output.
“Don’t think you can run before you learn to walk. The attainment of success is a gradual process and so you have to be patient, committed and loyal wherever you find yourself,” he said.
GNA