For Ebenezer Appiah Odei, the Valedictorian of the College of Science at KNUST, success was never about chasing perfection, it was about staying consistent.

Ebenezer, who graduated with a BSc in Actuarial Science and a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 88.06, said his approach to learning was driven by steady progress, discipline and long-term focus.

He said one of his keys to success was aligning academic preparation with professional goals.

“Some of the courses I actually studied like I was going to take the professional exams, and they were quite difficult,” he explained. “So if you study well, the class exams become quite easier.”

On being named valedictorian, Ebenezer admitted the recognition did not come as a complete surprise.

“I will say it was kind of expected,” he said with a modest smile, “but at the start of my undergraduate studies, I never imagined becoming the valedictorian. During my second year, I saw myself being ranked among my peers academically. That’s how it started.”

Behind the top grades and honours were significant sacrifices. “I had to sacrifice my leisure time and social activities. I’m actually someone who enjoys playing video games, watching movies, listening to songs and visiting my friends. So I realised I had to make sure I did very well, and that meant there had to be a trade-off between spending time on these activities and studying,” he said.

Reflecting on his journey, he encouraged continuing students to embrace discipline rather than perfectionism.

“The key to success is consistency and not perfection,” he said.