Student-led initiatives across universities in Ghana continue to shape campus culture, and a new project at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA)—which encourages first-year students to embrace professional dressing—is no exception.
The initiative, dubbed the “60-Day Professional Dress Challenge,” is being spearheaded by Jeremiah Awulikie-Ayi, a student leader from the Department of Information Technology. The project recognises and rewards well-dressed freshers who reflect the institution’s values through their appearance on campus.
Speaking to Univers News, Mr. Awulikie-Ayi explained that the idea was inspired by a desire to reinforce UPSA’s culture of professionalism and address public misconceptions about student appearance.
“The idea grew from a desire to reinforce professionalism and change how people perceive students of the university,” he said.
He noted that although the initiative initially faced financial challenges, support from fellow students and some university offices has helped sustain it.
“We had some financial difficulties at the beginning, but with support from students and the school, we’ve been able to keep it going,” he added.
Some awardees of the challenge expressed excitement and appreciation for the recognition, describing it as both motivating and unexpected.
“I felt really excited and honoured. It was a pleasant surprise because I didn’t expect to be noticed in that way,” one awardee said.
Another recipient noted that their dressing habits had not changed specifically for the challenge.
“I dress the way I normally do because I like to look neat and professional. Winning was unexpected, but it was a nice reward,” the student said.
Awardees emphasised that professional dressing goes beyond appearance, highlighting values such as discipline, self-respect, and seriousness towards academic work.
“Dressing professionally means being neat, clean, and presentable. It shows respect for yourself, your school, and others,” an awardee explained.
The challenge aims to strengthen professionalism among freshers and is expected to become a regular campus activity that celebrates positive student representation at UPSA.
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Story by Mardiya Amin Laamoata | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
