The MacArthur Foundation announced the 2015 MacArthur Fellows today, commonly known as the “genius grants,” including native Ghanaian Patrick Awuah.

Patrick and 23 other exceptionally creative Fellows will receive a no-strings-attached $625,000 grant for their cutting-edge work that is transforming their fields.

Patrick Awuah is an education entrepreneur creating a new model for higher education in Africa.

He founded Ashesi University in Accra, Ghana in 2002, with the goal of cultivating a generation of African leaders grounded in ethical leadership and with high critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Ashesi University combines a liberal arts education with practical skills training to cultivate the next generation of African leaders.

His goal is to stop the brain-drain of talent from Africa by helping students develop skills that African employers are seeking.