Hospitality in Ghana and Princeton

Thirty flags line the walls of Mackay Dining Hall, only a fraction of the countries represented in the Princeton Theological Seminary community. We sat down with some of our international students to hear their stories.

An ordained minister in The Methodist Church Ghana, ThM student Daniel Ntim Adjei says the Seminary's warm welcome reminds him of home.

Q: Where is home?
A: Old Tafo, which is in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Ghanaians are well known for our genuine hospitality. Our government declared 2019 "The Year of Return" to mark 400 years since enslaved Africans were taken from the shores of Ghana to the United States and other foreign countries. A lot of foreign nationals who trace their roots to Ghana have visited the country to experience our hospitality. One of the places that has been visited by many of these foreign nationals is the palace of the Asantehene — the king of the Asante kingdom which stretches across the country and has some chiefs in Burkina Faso who pay homage to him.

Q: What drew you to Princeton Seminary? What has your experience here been like?
A: My journey to Princeton Seminary began when one of my mentors — a senior minister in The Methodist Church Ghana and a Princeton Seminary alumnus — spoke to me about the Seminary. My further research proved that Princeton Seminary has outstanding resources, especially with its biblical studies department. I decided to come to the Seminary to improve my academic life, and I have been greeted by a genuinely welcoming community. My courses have certainly been challenging, but my peers and professors have been extremely supportive along the way.

Q: What's next for you?
A: I plan to pursue a PhD in the very near future. Eventually, I hope to serve on the faculty of Trinity Theological Seminary back home in Ghana.