When you meet Adjoa Assan, you’re struck not just by her eloquence, but by the quiet strength that anchors it. A Western Sydney University graduate with three degrees:- Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), Bachelor of International Studies (with Distinction), and Bachelor of Applied Leadership and Critical Thinking, Adjoa is anything but ordinary.
Her journey is one of rediscovery, reconnection, and redefining what it means to be a global citizen, while staying deeply rooted in her Ghanaian heritage and Western Sydney upbringing.
A Pathway Begins in Doonside
Adjoa’s story with WSU began before she even wore the cap and gown. While in Year 11 at Mountain View Adventist College in Doonside, she was invited to join The Academy, WSU’s flagship program for high-achieving students.
They opened a door. They were telling us: “we see you; we believe in you.”
“That sense of being seen, of being recognised not just for grades but for potential is what planted the seed. Despite considering other universities like UNSW and USyd, it was the community and opportunity at Western that felt like home.”
“It wasn’t just about where I could study. It was about where I felt I already belonged.”
While undertaking her triple degree, Adjoa quickly noticed a gap. “In all the content we were studying in International Studies, there was barely any mention of Africa.”
And so, instead of waiting for the system to change, she created something new: The African Australian Youth Collective, a student society focused on creating visibility, understanding, and celebration of the African continent.
(From left to right: Ava Kalinauskas, Cooper Cross, Zyarna Leefe, Kelsey McGowan, and Adjoa Assan. The Australian delegates attending the 2025 G20 Youth Summit (Y20) in South Africa, Picture Credit: Adjoa Assan, 2025)
“Africa is the second-largest continent. It’s not a monolith. It’s 54 countries, each with rich histories, languages, and cultures. ”
The society became a space of storytelling, of social connection, and of critical conversations. Students from all backgrounds: African and non-African, local and international joined together to learn, celebrate, and most importantly, belong.
In her first year at WSU, Adjoa was selected to represent the university in South Africa for a study abroad program on democracy and citizenship. That experience, she says, changed her.
“I saw how engaged South African students were with current affairs. And I thought, am I doing enough? That’s when the seed for the Youth Collective really took shape.”
Today, years later, life has come full circle.
Adjoa has been selected as an Australian delegate to the 2025 G20 Youth Summit (Y20) in Johannesburg, through the Global Voices Policy Fellowship.
Her focus? AI and digital innovation, but with a powerful Global South perspective.
“I want to talk about digital access, not just digital advances. We can’t let technology become another form of inequality. Many young people not only in Ghana but across the world don’t have access to fast, affordable, and accessible internet. They can’t be left out of the global conversation.”
Adjoa isn’t just bringing her intellect to the table; she’s bringing her heart. And she’s bringing others with her.
“I want to work in diplomacy. I want to represent Australia and support Ghana’s future too. There’s so much potential for collaboration that benefits both. Australia and African nations have shared challenges, like climate change, food security. Let’s work together.”
Her long-term dream is deeply personal. “I would love to work with my community in the village in Ghana my family comes from to contribute to existing efforts to build it up and the young people there.”
When asked what Western Sydney University has meant to her, Adjoa doesn’t hesitate.
“I didn’t just get an education here. I found community, identity, and opportunity. I found the courage to lead.”
She speaks with pride of how the African Australian Youth Collective continued after her graduation, holding elections and evolving with new leadership. “That’s when you know something is real. When it lives beyond you.”
Whether she’s negotiating policy at an international summit or mentoring a student curious about their roots, Adjoa stands as a reminder that leadership isn’t just about being in front, it’s about reaching back, lifting others up, and creating spaces that didn’t exist before.
(Adjoa Assan at the bottom of Kintampo Falls in the Bono East Region of Ghana, Picture Credit: Adjoa Assan, 2025)
Her advice to future students?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Don’t wait for permission to build what you wish existed. That’s how change begins.”
