Undergraduate / Tell us about Spiders. University of Richmond Supplement. [3]

William Cowper said, "There is in souls a sympathy with sounds; And as the mind is pitched the ear is pleased with melting airs, or a martial, brisk or grave; Some chords in unison with what we hear is touched within us, and the heart replies." Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to my heart. It is my dream to have a solid musical career that seeks to affect positively the lives of other people who want to develop their musical potentials. My dad taught me to play the keyboard at the age of nine. Following that was personal practice, researching into my dad's music books and occasionally tapping into the knowledge of other keyboardists I knew. I have no theoretical background or a formal education in music.

In Ghana, Music has been cut from the school budget in most Senior High and Junior High Schools. I was fortunate to have been taught how to play the Keyboard by my dad at an early age of nine. However, it is very sad many young ones who could have discovered their musical talents through the school system are simply unable to do so. Not all policy makers and school authorities understand and appreciate the value of music in Ghana. Hence they do not realize the need to allocate funds to promote Music Education in the country. For me, I believe in little things that have the potential of becoming big. In my small way, I will take the bold initiative to express interest in inculcating music education into the curriculum at local schools in my community. This will include, organizing musical workshops, musical events or fund-raising or better still offer an after-school music program. I believe such a kind gesture will go a long way to expose the talents and ignite the passions and interests in these young ones. I am very optimistic as the children nurture their found talents through this voluntary service, authorities will begin to realize the importance of music even on the child, and as much as possible allocate funds to ensure the continued success of this program. I believe hard work and dedication to this vision could change the entire perception of the people of Ghana about music. It is said that "Little drops of water make a mighty ocean."

University of Richmond is a community I believe will help me realize this dream I have. The commitment of Richmond to undergraduate research is worth mentioning. Research forms a major part of solving today's problems. Taking advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities will help me refine my career goals and learn how to balance collaborative and individual work. My goals, as I mentioned early on, is one that requires interdisciplinary knowledge to help tackle the problem. I will take minor courses in Psychology, Computer Science and English to complement the Music Education I will receive at Richmond. Leadership is not a calling; it's a way of life. Leadership plays many roles in ensuring the realization of goals of a group of people. I will take advantage of the Leadership school at Richmond to hone the skills I already have as a Deputy Director and Keyboardist for the Tema Youth Choir, Ghana. In addition to harnessing my leadership qualities and bringing to bear African composers, I will start a choral group on campus with the aim of showcasing the African culture through songs of African ensemble.

Richmond is a challenging community and I am ready to dedicate my heart and brain to it. I look forward to brainstorming and harnessing my creativity on campus as I push boundaries and deal with unexpected changes.

Undergraduate / UPenn circumscribes a totality of backgrounds and experiences, ideologies, theories and perspectives [5]

How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania?

One characteristic about UPenn that I luxuriate in is its diversity. UPenn circumscribes a totality of backgrounds and experiences, ideas, ideologies, theories and perspectives. I have always loved to be in a diverse community where I will be exposed to the different kinds of people and their myriad of interests in all spheres of life. Diversity is what makes a stronger community and provides competitive edge as well. The practical nature of Penn's diversity lies in its strong liberal arts system. Penn's President, Amy Gutmann, said, "The most challenging questions and problems cannot be addressed by one discipline or profession." She spoke these words to reflect the unique combination of business and the arts and sciences that Wharton offers. Forty percent of my required courses are taken outside Wharton and these will enable me expand my horizon outside business. I plan to take part in the Joseph Wharton Scholars Research Program which emphasizes the importance of arts and sciences and scholarly research within the framework of business. To become a professional accountant by all standards has been my dream since high school. However, Psychology intrigues me a lot, because of the relationship between human behavior and their experiences. This means that UPenn is not only going to make me realize my dream of becoming a professional accountant but also gain firm ground in Psychology to complement my business education.

Wharton School of UPenn being the first to develop a fully integrated curriculum of entrepreneurial studies in 1973 confirms the quality and in-depth of Wharton's Entrepreneurial education to develop global entrepreneurs who will be equipped with skills to initiate business undertaking. I plan on taking advantage of the entrepreneurship opportunities at UPenn. An example is the Georgen Entrepreneurship Management Program. This will help me build an adaptive, risk tolerant management styles which are indispensable in the success of any firm. It will also expose me to the insights from the entrepreneurial business community through the combination of theory and practice.

As a young man, I seek to address some of these misconceptions about 'doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa' on completion of my course. Examples of such misconceptions include 'the sub-Saharan African being too volatile and unpredictable', 'This can be rectified by merely using data'. I look forward to joining the Social Impact Club at Wharton to acquire some of the required skills to address some of these challenges. The activities of the Club will expose me to information that will enable me assess risk and capital flows and implementing business education across the continent through blended model of online and in-person learning. Participating in the Club's activities will help me contribute to Penn's strength in data analytics, finance, entrepreneurship and best in class business education which promote and develop business strategies for a better world.

Kurt Vonnegut said, "If I should die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph, "The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music". Music is what helps me to escape reality. UPenn, and for that matter the Department of Music, is a community I believe will assist me find a good match for my ten years' experience as a keyboardist. I plan on taking part in the Blutt College House Music Program by taking private lessons. This will expose me to highly acclaimed musicians in the region who will perform recitals, lead master classes, organize studio recitals and develop other music-related events that will enhance my music experience at UPenn.

UPenn is a challenging community and I am ready to dedicate my heart and brain to it. It will be my new home.