Kow Bedu-Addo, BBA ‘19

Kow grew up in Ghana, Zambia, and Singapore, and he’s traveled extensively. Although he had been to the U.S. a couple of times, he chose to enroll at Michigan Ross without ever having visited the state.

“All I could really rely on was research and word of mouth. It was a big gamble,” he says. “Being a part of the university has been a really good experience, because I've had to grow so much and I've had to adapt to all these things that have been new to me for the first time. I could have definitely gone to different schools that would have been closer to home, much easier to adapt to, but I think that pushing myself has been its own reward.”

Although Kow had experienced much of the world before coming to Michigan, his Ross experience has further broadened his horizons — for example, with a summer study/intern experience in Australia. “The class was very interesting. We learned about doing business in Australia, within an Asian context. Learning about different cultures from the perspective of an Australian was very interesting. And I had to live by myself in a new place, even further away from my parents and my family. That was also a huge growth experience, and I think that's definitely shaped how I've interacted on campus since then.”

His time at Ross has also opened up career options. He came to Michigan tentatively planning on a career in finance, but attending an industry overview workshop through his business fraternity pointed out a potential new path — one that could perfectly combine his business interests with his international background.

“That's where I got introduced to consulting, and the lifestyle of a consultant, and the kind of work that they do. And that's when I realized that this is something that I already do, something that I identify with. I like to be pushed. And I think that's exactly what consultants do. After taking strategy classes, I've really appreciated what consultants do, and I think that's something I can do in the future.”

One important lesson that’s developed throughout his Ross experience: The value of working as part of a group. “I really appreciate how much you can learn and grow from a group, how you can be quiet in one group but be the leader in another. Everything is group-oriented. Everyone has their task within the group, but the ultimate goal is to achieve the goal as a group. I think that's very relevant for every career.”