For 26 year old Bernard Fosu, a former pupil of Kenyase No 2 Methodist Basic School in the Brong Ahafo Region, graduating from the Colorado School of Mines with a Master’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering is an achievement he never could have dreamt of.
First, it was not his desire to study mining; journalism was his fancy.
Secondly, there were financial constraints and without external support, studying to the highest level in Ghana or abroad would have almost been impossible.
Today, Bernard is a fully qualified Process Engineer/Metallurgist, having completed his Master’s in Metallurgical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, ranked by USA Today as the best engineering school in the US since 2014.
He is a beneficiary of the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation’s (NADeF) scholarship scheme and a passionate young man with a desire to serve his community with his acquired knowledge and exposure.
The young Metallurgist had his basic education at Kenyasi Methodist School before proceeding to Kumasi Anglican Senior High where he had a full merit-based Ghana government scholarship. He then proceeded to the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana where he studied BSc Mineral Engineering.
Growing up at Kenyase, Bernard says his interest was to become a journalist but that changed, when he attended a holiday orientation programme which Newmont Ghana had organised for students in its Ahafo mine host communities.
“An officer from Newmont gave an overview of mining and the exciting career opportunities it offers. When he mentioned that the metallurgists process the ore for the gold, I told myself that is what I want to be doing,” He said.
As a result, he diverted his course from General Agriculture to General Science at the final year so he could pursue Mineral Engineering at the tertiary level.
Following his excellent performance in the West African Senior Secondary School Exams (WASSCE) Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF) awarded him a scholarship to pursue his dreams of becoming a Mineral Engineer at UMaT.
According to Bernard, the scholarship complemented his parents’ efforts and motivated him to focus on his academic work while at the university.
“The scholarship from Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF) came at a time when my parents needed financial assistance to support my college education. I couldn’t be more grateful. If I ever felt secured in my academic life then I owe a great deal of gratitude to NADeF because I knew for a fact that every academic year my NADeF scholarship grant was going to be credited into my account. It afforded me the opportunity to buy books, hand-outs, and even buy a laptop for academic work.”
While in school, he had his internship at the Processing Department of the Ahafo Mine. This experience, he says, gave him a practical exposure into his course of study.
In June, 2012, Bernard Fosu graduated from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), with a first class degree in Mineral Engineering and was adjudged the overall best student in his department.
He was immediately selected to participate in Newmont’s Emerging Talent Programme ETP, becoming the first ‘local-local’ to qualify for the programme. The ETP is a Newmont initiative where brilliant graduates are selected for a two year on the job mentoring programme in the company. He describes that experience as crucial to his development in the corporate world.
"I was the first Ahafo indigene on the program. The training schedule for the program was comprehensive. I had the opportunity to spend quality time at each of the circuits at the Process plant and also understudied the technical staff.”
Upon successful completion of the two year ETP, Bernard was awarded another scholarship by the Colorado School of Mines to pursue his post graduate studies under the supervision of Dr. Patrick Taylor. This scholarship was fully funded by Newmont Mining Corporation and fully covered Bernard’s tuition, research, medical expenses, and stipend. His research project gave rise to two technical publications, three presentations at professional conferences, and three poster presentations.
Bernard received the “Top Oral Presentation” award at the 2015 Conference on Earth and Energy Research, CEER, annual conference held in Golden, Colorado.
“While working on the Newmont funded project at the Colorado School of Mines, the regular meetings with Newmont officials at the Metallurgical Facility in Englewood, Colorado offered amazing learning and professional networking experiences. I also spent the summer of 2015 at Newmont’s Carlin plant in Nevada and the learning opportunities could not have been more awesome! One thing that stood out at all Newmont mines I have worked at is the commitment to safety, leadership in social responsibility, and the culture of excellence that encourages teamwork.”
During his graduation at the Colorado School of Mines, he received a handwritten congratulatory note and an official Newmont pin from Gary Goldberg, President and CEO of Newmont Mining Corporation for showing commitment and making use of the opportunities provided to realize his dream.
Bernard Fosu is currently a Process Engineer with a mining and energy consulting and pilot-plant-based company in Nevada. His focus, he says is to advance an “exciting career in the corporate world” and to give back to his community in Kenyase and Ghana as a whole.
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