Let's not trivialise the success of women - UCC Valedictorian

The valedictorian of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies of the University of Cape Coast, Jessica Afful Tuleassi has admonished that the success of women should not be trivialized.

This she said during the 2nd session of the 53rd Congregation of the University Thursday, October 29, 2020.

At the event which took place at the New Cape Coast Sports Stadium, the valedictorian recounted of the endemic sexism that plays significantly in our society, even in the University community.

She said, “as a lady in an academic environment, the palpable sexism is one that leaves a lot to be desired.”

Ms. Tuleassi bemoaned the unhealthy linking of academic achievements of women with amoral acts.

“Academic achievements are disingenuously correlated to supposed favours from male staff or colleagues with comments like she might have slept her way to the top,” she said.

While acknowledging the pervasiveness of sexism in our world, the valedictorian advocated that the right way to end this unhealthy attribution is a renewal of our minds.

She noted that “this is not an issue limited to our space but we can begin doing a lot about them by changing our perception and beginning to accept the reality that women are intelligent and given the same chances can do equally and even more than their male counterparts. This is the only way we can hope to holistically build the totality of our human resources.”

She climaxed her speech by admonishing the University of Cape Coast Class of 2020 to be good ambassadors of the university.

“Let us meet tomorrow with happy smiles and good news, and let the ideals the university has instilled in us be our drive everywhere we go.”

The College of Humanities and Legal Studies comprises the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Business, Faculty of Law, School of Economics, and the School of Development Studies.

Ms. Tuleassi graduated from the Department of Communication Studies, which is one of the over nine Departments under the Faculty of Arts, with a CGPA of 3.9091.

She was the best graduating student of the Faculty of Arts and also the best graduating female student in the Department of Communication Studies.