Kathryn Owen

In 2012 I traveled to Ghana with 14 Journalism students from the University of Oregon. The students were participating in a 6 week Media in Ghana program. I accompanied them as part chaperone, part observer, and part researcher. At the time, I was a Development Officer for the UO and volunteered to help raise money for the program.   There was (and still is) an opportunity to build a “UO Ghana House” on the University of Ghana campus. The funds needed are not much by most projects standards, but still more than the School of Journalism can allocate. Although, I’m retired now, I hope that the private funds are raised to build this much needed structure. The experience opened my eyes to this fascinating  part of the world, which I never would have visited had this opportunity not presented itself. As magical as the west of coast of Africa is and as exotic as the trip sounds, it was the students who made the month I was there one of the most memorable of my life. When asked about the trip, I find myself talking not of Ghana, but of the students and their accomplishments.