Agyepong’s own journey to law was filled with decisions similar to those he now helps students navigate in and beyond his classes. As early as junior high school, he was insistent on charting his own course.  When it was time to apply to university, he applied to a law program with savings from holiday work—without his parents’ knowledge. Despite his father’s initial reservations, Agyepong enrolled and embarked on what he now describes as a “journey of firsts.”

“I went to accept the offer on the last possible day, but an administrative error led to my spot being given away even though I had paid my fees,” he recounts. “The cohort was supposed to be made up of 50 students. I was the 51st, and my name had to be written by hand on the list of matriculating students since it wasn’t printed. Even my index number was different. I had to work extra hard to prove that I earned my place in the class.”

Agyepong went on to qualify as a lawyer at the Gambia Law School, becoming one of the first Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) graduates to qualify outside Ghana. He also later became the first GIMPA Law alumnus to attend Harvard Law School and the first to return to teach at GIMPA. With his inclination towards tutoring classmates, and parents who were both educators, Agyepong’s entry into academia felt like a natural progression. However, an internship at a law firm, where he assisted lawyers with their research projects, exposed him to the possibility of practicing law while still teaching.

“Teaching is sort of a family business, but I still want to practice,” he shares. “I think it’s very difficult to be a good teacher without keeping some of the practical aspects as well.”

Agyepong, who is now qualified to practice law in Ghana; Gambia; and in New York, U.S., encourages incoming students to explore their education with an open mind, leaving behind any rigid or preconceived ideas about what the outcome of their time at Ashesi will be.

“It’s great to have a plan, but plans can change, and there’s a lot more you can do with a law education. The options are broader than you might think. Be willing to try new experiences. I think incoming Ashesi Law students will be on their own journeys of firsts.”

Agyepong is convinced that in addition to the teaching and resources Ashesi provides, the University’s overall ethos will help strengthen the positioning of students in the new Law with Public Policy program.

“I see this as an opportunity to set a new course for legal education in Ghana,” he says. “I want to contribute to charting this path towards a law program that advances our philosophy of encouraging students to be critical and dynamic thinkers who will shape the future of law and policy.”