From left, Mensah (standing, center) with his middle school classmates on graduation day. Center
photo: Mensah’s grandmother, Aba Entsie. Photo on right: : Mensah, second from left, with French
Club members, photo taken after a traditional play on graduation day.
“Usually, poor farmers like me would not have
education beyond elementary school, but I was
fortunate to have had two great supportive women
-- my grandmother and my mother -- who were
not ready to let me follow the usual trend in my
village,” Mensah said. “Without a father in the
house -- my parents divorced when I was about 8
years old -- I only had these women as my source of
motivation and encouragement.”
The uncertain path between making it all the way
through high school in rural Ghana to obtaining
a Ph.D. from a major university would seem
unfathomable to most. For Mensah, it will soon be
a reality, stemming from a years-long undertaking,
marked by starts and stops, financial struggle,
unexpected blessings, perseverance, and hard work.
He is poised to obtain his Ph.D. from the University
of Kentucky College of Education by spring of
2016.
Mensah first visited the U.S. while still in high
school, after winning a school-wide competition.
He traveled with his principal in spring 1993, and
was hosted for six weeks by the Lindblom Technical
High School in Chicago, IL.
“It was incredible, \