Education Professional · Pan-African Advocate · Cambridge Graduate

Richard Yaw
Kwofie

Bridging academic excellence with community impact —
from the halls of Cambridge to the heart of African student empowerment.

1stClass Honours
KNUST
100+Partner Agencies
Engaged Globally
200+Students
Supported
3Continents of
Professional Work
Scroll
RYK
MPhil, Development Studies
University of Cambridge
Mastercard Foundation Scholar
Co-Founder, AfriPath
Cambridge → Ghana (relocating)
MCF
Scholar
About Me

A Scholar Who Gives Back

I am a higher education professional and Mastercard Foundation Scholar alumnus who believes deeply that access to quality education is the most powerful lever for African development.

After graduating as the Overall Best Student from KNUST with a First-Class in Political Studies, I earned a place at St John’s College, Cambridge, completing an MPhil in Development Studies on full African Student Scholarship. That journey gave me not just knowledge, but a profound understanding of what scholarship and mentorship mean to a young African navigating elite international systems — often alone.

Today I channel that experience into my professional work and into AfriPath, a platform I co-founded to ensure the path I walked is clearer for those who come after. I thrive at the intersection of student support, virtual programme coordination, and Pan-African community building.

Focus Areas
Higher Education Access Virtual Engagement Student Advising African Development Scholarship Coordination Online Community Building
Career Journey

Professional Experience

A trajectory shaped by student-centred work, cross-cultural coordination, and virtual engagement across Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Current Role
Student Recruitment Officer
Anglia Ruskin University College · Cambridge, UK
July 2024 – Present
  • Primary virtual point of contact for prospective students, agents, and institutional partners across Europe, Latin America, and East and South Africa
  • Led the Navitas Annual Global Webinar (2025) — designing and delivering live presentations to 80+ partner agencies worldwide on admissions, student support, and academic programmes
  • Organised and facilitated onboarding for 18 new agencies in East and South Africa; refresher sessions for 100+ partner agencies since 2024
  • Coordinated cross-institutional training for 35 school counsellors in Bogotá, Colombia, in collaboration with the International Office
  • Drives data-informed strategy using Salesforce (pipeline management, segmented campaigns) and Power BI (conversion funnels, market dashboards, ROI reporting)
  • Leads entry requirements benchmarking across four competitor universities to ensure competitive, consistent positioning
Salesforce Power BI Virtual Facilitation Multi-Timezone Programme Coordination
Student Ambassador
St John’s College, University of Cambridge · Cambridge, UK
Oct 2023 – June 2024
  • Represented St John’s College at open days, course taster events, and applicant days, delivering presentations to students, families, and school counsellors
  • Conducted campus tours for 50+ prospective students, communicating the student journey from application to graduation
  • Provided structured feedback to college staff on prospective students’ concerns, directly informing recruitment strategy improvements
Student EngagementAcademic Events
Teaching & Research Assistant
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology · Ghana
Oct 2021 – Sept 2022
  • Delivered weekly tutorials to cohorts of 200+ students across Politics & Development, Research Methods in Political Science, and Public Policy Analysis
  • Served as primary point of contact for students navigating academic processes, progression, and assessment — providing personalised academic support
  • Coordinated academic events and student sessions in close collaboration with faculty, fostering peer learning
  • Conducted assessments, maintained accurate student records, and produced data reports to support departmental decision-making
Student AdvisingAcademic SupportRecord Management
Administrative Assistant
Sam and Brothers Company Limited · Kumasi, Ghana
Oct 2022 – Sept 2023
  • Managed multi-channel stakeholder communications as primary client contact, ensuring professional and timely resolution of inquiries
  • Maintained CRM-equivalent database systems; developed feedback mechanisms to assess client satisfaction and drive service improvement
CRM ManagementStakeholder Communication
Signature Initiative

Building What I Wished Existed

AfriPath is the platform I co-founded because I know exactly what it means to search for opportunities without a roadmap.

Live Platform · Co-Founded January 2026

AfriPath

A free digital platform connecting African students with global scholarship opportunities, low-deposit universities in the UK, USA, and Canada, and a peer mentorship network pairing aspiring scholars with experienced alumni.

  • Scholarship discovery engine curated for African students worldwide
  • Peer mentorship pipeline — alumni paired with aspiring scholars
  • University access portal: low-deposit institutions in UK, USA & Canada
  • Virtual community management and online engagement facilitation
  • Instructional content design and digital strategy
Visit afripath.net
afripath.net
Scholarship & Mentorship Hub
for African Students
Academic Background

Education & Formation

From the top of his undergraduate class in Ghana to postgraduate study at one of the world’s great universities.

Oct 2023 – June 2024
MPhil in Development Studies
University of Cambridge
St John’s College · Cambridge, United Kingdom
African Student Scholarship, 2023 — one of two bursaries awarded by the Centre of Development Studies
Sept 2017 – Nov 2021
BA Political Studies — First Class Honours
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
KNUST · Ghana
Overall Best Graduating Student across approximately 300 graduates, cohort 2017–2021
Mastercard Foundation Scholar, 2017 — fully funded undergraduate scholarship
Recognition

Awards & Distinctions

Mastercard Foundation Scholar

Recipient of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at KNUST, 2017, fully funding undergraduate studies in Political Studies.

Overall Best Graduating Student

Recognised as the top student across the entire 2017–2021 Political Studies cohort of approximately 300 graduates at KNUST.

African Student Scholarship

One of two bursaries awarded by the Centre of Development Studies, University of Cambridge, 2023, supporting MPhil studies at St John’s College.

Capabilities

Skills & Tools

Virtual Engagement & Coordination
Webinar Facilitation Online Programme Coordination Virtual Community Building Multi-Timezone Collaboration Orientation Design Group Facilitation
Student Support & Advising
Academic Advising Scholarship Administration Intervention Coordination Cross-Cultural Communication Performance Monitoring Personalised Student Support
Data, Systems & Operations
Salesforce CRM Power BI Pipeline Management Database Management Reporting & Analytics Budget Tracking
Digital & Content
Digital Marketing Instructional Content Design Social Media Strategy Google Workspace Microsoft Office Suite Zoom & Virtual Platforms
Community & Service

Leadership Roles

Service to community has been a constant thread — from leading student governance in Ghana to representing the Ghanaian diaspora at Cambridge.

2023 – 2024
Deputy Event Coordinator
Cambridge University Ghanaian Society, University of Cambridge
2020 – 2021
Judicial & Disciplinary Committee Chairperson
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Community, KNUST
2020 – 2021
Speaker of Parliament
Political Science Students’ Association Parliament, KNUST
2019 – 2020
Public Relations Officer
Political Science Students’ Association Parliament, KNUST
2019 – 2020
Deputy Academic Board Chairperson
College of Humanities & Social Sciences, KNUST
Get in Touch

Let’s Connect

Whether it’s a collaboration, an opportunity in African education, or simply a conversation — I’m always open.

Open To

Student Support & Programme Coordination Roles

I am actively seeking full-time roles in higher education coordination, student success, and African education access — and am prepared to relocate within Africa immediately.

Send a Message