Bismark (Kofi) Oppong Asumang

Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business

“A product of sacrifice, who wants to impact his generation with footprints for the next.”

Hometown: Techiman, Ghana

Fun Fact: “My name “Kofi” means I am a male born on Friday.”

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Ghana, BSc. Administration (Accounting Major)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: KPMG, Audit Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I worked on a GlobalFund-funded project, providing financial advisory services in its efforts to help the Ministry of Health in Ghana fight malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Affable, smart and funny: As an international student, one of my major concerns was how I would fit into the new environment. My classmates (some of whom have become my close friends) made it effortless. Inviting me to social gatherings, finding out how I’m coping with the weather and graciously commending me for an important remark in class — all were common from my classmates. These people are smart! Fisher has some of the brightest people you will ever meet; they supply brilliant examples during class discussions with rich and well-thought-through comments. And, of course, there is always a reason to laugh when you’re around these folks.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Networking! Knowing people, building contacts, and learning from others were top on my “must-have” list for a full-time MBA program. At Fisher, I have found these and much more! I’ve built strong networks with faculty, the business community in Columbus and the U.S. in general, and I have found genuine friendship among my classmates.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Black MBA Association and Fisher Indian Students Association.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? Why Fisher?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I liked my previous job, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a life-long career for me, so I decided to pursue an MBA to help me transition into a field that I believe will help me make the greatest life impact overall.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Stanford Graduate School of Business Full-time MBA Program and the University of British Columbia MBA Program in Canada.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I considered the ranking of the school, its faculty and post-MBA job prospects for students.

I used various MBA-ranking websites, read about the city where the school is located and spoke with an alumna.

I also looked for a school that could help with funding my education; the cost of full-time MBA education in the U.S. for an international student can be pretty high, so finding the school that could subsidize that was important.

I knew I wanted to have the flexibility of choosing which classes I wanted to take and what courses would help shape me into the business professional I wanted to become. Having the ability to create my own pathway was definitely a must-have.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My life has been shaped by acts of sacrifice. Having been raised by a single mom, I saw how she sacrificed her comfort, time and everything she had to make sure I had a better future. So I’ve made it my calling to sacrifice all I can to make sure my family, community, country, the African continent,  and the world at large has a better tomorrow.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? As a senior business professional who studies the connections among organizational behavior, cultural transformation and business strategy, and uses this knowledge to help organizations better serve their stakeholders.

Running a not-for-profit organization that focuses on mindset re-orientation and leadership development among the youth in Ghana.