The dean of students for the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Rhodalene Amartey has been named the dean of the year by the National Students Awards Ghana 2021.
The award is in recognition of the selfless leadership exhibited by GIJ’s dean during the short term of her assumption of office as the Dean of the school.
The National Students Awards, in recognition of the hard work of the dean during the volatile and shaky moments of the school, especially in the political crisis at the students front, said the award is in appreciation of the leadership exhibited by Amartey in restoring democracy , trust and peace into students affairs.
Now more than ever, students have renewed their trust in the leadership of the dean, describing Amartey as a mother for all. Students who spoke after the awards said, if for nothing at all, they trust that they have a dean that will listen to them and advice them. “We have a dean that we can walk up to and trust that she will pay attention to us and listen”, some students said.
It would be recalled that between early 2020 and 2021, students of GIJ had encountered some serious challenges in terms of leadership due to the coronavirus crisis. Although many processes were established to restore democracy and calm before the new dean was appointed, much of what is now seen in terms of student organization and leadership is credited to Rhodalene. While many other schools such as the University of Ghana continue to discuss a way forward in terms of their student leadership and politics, GIJ has moved far ahead, with constitutional leadership in full force, a feat being emulated by other universities in similar situations.
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Rhodalene Amartey was nominated along with some other Deans of other universities who were equally championing various revolutions and restructures in their various schools. But this year, students have selected the Dean of GIJ as the Dean of the year among all others.
In addition to being the dean, Rhodalene Amartey is also a lecturer and Counsellor, and many students have praised her for her outstanding personality, humility and an astute academic.
The National Students Awards, is an annual celebration of the excellent work Students, Associations, Corporate Institutions and individuals across the country have done.
It is organized by The Network of Scholars in Africa (NSA) – Ghana, a body incorporate, registered on 30th January, 2015 with the Registrar Generals Department of Ghana under the Companies Act 1963 (ACT 179).