#InspirationalChat with Jayee's First Class, Overall Best Student Maame Ama Vandyck. #BeInspired!

Maame Ama Vandyck Abbey Ashong is a graduate from Jayee University College who recently graduated with a first class degree and also who became the overall best student and best journalism student. 

During a chat with Maame, she shared with me her story on how she achieved a First Class Degree and also became the overall best student in her class at university.

Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. – Colin Powell

Read and enjoy!!!


DB: Welcome to Inspirational chat. First of all, let me congratulate you on your first class degree achievement and becoming the overall best student

Maame Ama: Thank you very Emmanuel

DB: Tells us about yourself and how was growing up like?

Maame Ama: I am a simple, humble young lady who grew up in Osu Korleynaa, Accra which is a fishing area. Growing up with a single mother and my little brother wasn’t the easiest journey. It came with a lot of challenges yet right from childhood, I had a dream of being a better version of the things I saw around me .I saw teenagers drop out of school for teenage pregnancy and some not even going to school but I had the passion to help the young ladies in my community. I knew that the best way to achieve my dreams was to be an example myself so I dedicated to make myself better. I could have taken the easy way out but I didn’t so I decided to work hard just to motivate other young ladies from where I come from and everywhere to know that they can do more with themselves than what others perceive about the.

DB: Tell us about your educational background

Maame Ama: I attended Aggrey Memorial international school, for my primary education then to Achimota primary school for my JHS education, from there went to Achimota secondary school. It’s very interesting place to be. From Achimota secondary school I continued to Jayee University Colleg basically because of my passion for journalism and communication and Jeyee is one of the best media school in the country.

DB: How does it feel to graduate with a first class degree in University?

Maame Ama: The feeling is certainly an ecstatic one, and one which tremendously increased at each level of attainment. At the completion of my undergraduate studies, a first class degree felt good. The joy of graduating on top of my class. I was happier when I graduated with the First class degree in Faculty of Communication Science especially as the overall best student. It’s a lot of sacrifice, prayer, hard work, dedication and you study and that’s how it works.

DB: What is that one challenge you faced while studying communication at Jayee University College

Maame Ama: So my biggest challenge i faced while studying communication was the fact that I was working at that time and at the same time did my internship at Starr Fm and for the newsroom I think they push you to the limit. They wouldn’t say because you are intern so you are not going to work. If there is a story I need to go and cover in respective of the fact that I have school I have to find a way and get the story done and go back to class even though I was a regular student so you can imagine the pressure, it was very challenging I mean having to combine school and work at the same time.

DB: Do you enjoy the course you studied at Jayee University.

Maame Ama: I did enjoy studying communication and I love that fact that its gave me the opportunity to be very creative and you have to always have to develop new ideas to write your stories and get inspiration from different sources and also build my confidence in public.

DB: Who is your role model? 

Maame Ama: My role model is the CEO of EIB Network, Bola Ray. I look up to him. 

DB: Do you have a social life while studying at University? 

Maame Ama: Yes I do have a social life in university. 

DB: What are those things you did differently from other students that made you stand out? 

Maame Ama: First of all, communication is a passion in journalism. Getting to know new things they report is a passion for me. You know when you have passion for something, you are willing to sacrifice for it. First of all Passion, secondly I had the focus. I knew exactly I want to do with my life and one thing that is key is that to everything you start you have to know what the end will be. I know at the end of my four years in degree I have to graduate with a first class, I want to be the overall best student so i started working towards it. I learn very hard when I go to class and i am the kind of person that when I listened its stick to my head. I do a lot of learning in the evening. There is no magic when its comes to been outstanding. It is hard work and sacrifice and if you are not ready to sacrifice you are not going to achieve what you want. 

DB: Was there any form of distractions and how did you handle them? 

Maame Ama: Hahahaha that is a good question. I was the women’s commission in school as well as class rep for the four years I stayed in Jayee University. Managing different people with different attitude, trust me it is soo difficult at that stage because you have people criticizing you and being a lady too for that matter you get people saying all sorts of things about you. I will say that was very challenging for me but I have to face the challenge.

DB: Did you at any point in time enter any romantic relationship? 

Maame Ama: oh yes, I did 

DB: What advice will give to other student? 

Maame Ama: So I will like to focus my advice on women. There is a whole lot of opportunities out there for us. Its high time women set the pace for themselves and support each other. of course the journey to get the best in life the right way is not easy but with prayer, hard work and persistence you will achieve it. We need to work hard to change the perception that a woman who excels in her field is probably sleeping with someone.

‘’Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’’. . - Nelson Mandela