Celebrating 30 years of learning in Ghana

Like many humble leaders at James Madison, Dr. David Owusu-Ansah, Professor of History and founder of the JMU Ghana Summer Program and Internship, did not anticipate his work blossoming so far beyond him. “So much of what we have done, to put the program in a different light, started innocently… and then it snowballed, [and] became very, very, very useful.” 

After a simple conversation with JMU colleagues sparked his interest, Owusu-Ansah set out to develop a JMU study abroad in Ghana. He took the first group of students in 1996, making it the longest-running JMU program on the continent of Africa. Over the past 30 years, students’ experiences in Ghana have been grounded in longstanding partnerships and dedication to purposeful service, all facilitated by strong leaders, including Owusu Ansah and co-director Dr. Leonard Richards, Assistant Professor in the College of Education. 

When Owusu-Ansah founded the program in the College of Arts and Letters, he relied heavily on his existing connections from living and studying there himself. “All these kinds of contacts developed as a result of my research work in Ghana,” said Owusu-Ansah. “The people who helped me were colleagues of mine, who were back teaching in Ghana. So, we used our relationships to develop a program.”

Even with the abundant options for studying abroad, students continue to be drawn to Ghana. Richards believes that the program attracts an inquisitive and ambitious type of person. “We want students that are willing to challenge perspectives, willing to learn and engage,” he says. “You’re learning language and culture. You're hearing songs, you're learning dances, that is cultural immersion, that is cultural impact.” 

According to Owusu-Ansah and Richards, two crucial aspects of maintaining a successful study abroad program year after year are communication and community. For Richards, it’s almost familial: “You're working with individuals who treat you as if you were always there.” Genuine, frequent conversations that extend beyond the logistics are essential for the long-term collaboration that sustains their work in Ghana. 

Now, they are envisioning the next chapter. Owusu-Ansah hopes to provide all academic colleges at JMU with a “buy-in into the Ghana program, for us to situate them in a way that they can run things on their own [and] all be part of the Ghana initiative.” 

Owusu-Ansah is proud of the program’s accomplished alumni, many of whom keep in touch. Alumni have developed successful careers, become adept leaders, and stayed connected — two even in matrimony. “I believe what the program did for them,” Owusu-Ansah says, “is it took them outside JMU and made them comfortable and confident in what they can do.” 

Photo credit: Landon Shackelford (‘27)