The Delali Economic Institute grew from a simple conviction: it is difficult to work toward opportunities you have never had the chance to see.

That conviction comes from a personal experience in Ghana. While I was a student at the University of Cape Coast, I served as Vice President of Kwame Nkrumah Hall. During that time, my sister, who did not care much about school, came to visit me. She attended classes with me and experienced university life during her stay. Seeing what was possible changed her outlook. She returned home, passed her high school examinations, and continued her education. Today, she works as a teacher and is pursuing her second master’s degree.

Years later, as an economics professor, I began seeing the same principle at work with my own students. Students may perform well academically and still have limited exposure to the careers, institutions, people, and opportunities available to them after graduation. Seminars, conversations with scholars and professionals, research experiences, and educational field trips can open possibilities that students had never considered.

After one seminar, one of my students reflected:

“I have wondered for so long what one does with an economics degree other than teach. Today’s seminar really answered that question for me. I had never thought about government work in economics before… Working for a think tank would be so interesting to me, and I will definitely be looking for jobs like that going forward after graduation.”

Experiences like these inspired the creation of the Delali Economic Institute. The Institute creates opportunities for students to encounter ideas, conduct research, meet scholars and professionals, explore institutions, and see where their education can take them.

Our founding belief remains simple: when students can see what is possible, they are better equipped to imagine a future for themselves and work toward it.