Daniel Appiah Gyekye
Eugene,United States
Summary
I am an education, culture, strategic communication, and digital media specialist with proven leadership in equity initiatives and innovative media practices in Ghana and the United States. I design and implement programs that enhance educational access, leverage immersive media, and promote equity for underserved communities. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Oregon, focusing on immersive media technology and STEM education. I have been recognized with the 2026 Graduate Excellence in Mentorship Award and the 2025 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Student Leadership Award for my impactful contributions to campus and community life.
Overview
1
1
Language
1
1
Certification
12
12
years of post-secondary education
17
17
years of professional experience
Work history
Founder and Director
Appiah Sports Impact (Nonprofit Organization)
Accra , Ghana
2020.01 - Current
- Direct appiah sports impact to develop youth in Ghana and abroad through partnerships.
- Design and run 3-6 community programmes each year linking sport mentorship.
- Manage partnerships across 3-10 schools, community groups, and local stakeholders.
- Coordinates outreach, communication, and media engagement.
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, Media & Communication
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
2023.09 - 2027.06
- Managed course records scheduling and email communication for 1–3 media courses per term.
- Coordinated 3–5 workshops, seminars, and guest lectures each academic year.
- Updated 2–3 syllabi and lesson plans with current media research practices.
- Supported 2–4 faculty research projects on media and communication strategies.
- Assisted with preparing 3–6 conference papers, presentations, and academic publications.
Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Associated Students of the University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
2025.01 - 2026.01
- Organise 3–6 inclusion initiatives yearly to raise student participation consistently.
- Integrate equity into institutional policy work through 2–4 proposals annually.
- Run 3–5 workshops and awareness events yearly, engaging 20–50 students per session.
Founder and Director
Ghanaian students Association at UO
Eugene, USA
2023.07 - 2025.09
- Secured funding to strengthen finances and expand the office.
- Launched a Ghanaian language and culture program.
- Led the organization to Tier 2 status.
- Grew membership from 10 to 40 members.
Conference Ambassador
University of Oregon, Event Services
Eugene, Oregon
2025.06 - 2025.09
- Represented university at 2-4 conferences and institutional events yearly.
- Coordinated registration room setup and guest engagement for 50-200 attendees.
- Answered 20-50 participant inquiries per event to improve visitor experience.
Steward, Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
2023.09 - 2025.06
- Represented graduate employees during workplace discussions across 3 to 6 meetings annually.
- Assisted with 1 to 3 contract negotiation cycles and addressed graduate concerns.
- Gathered feedback and responded to 20 to 50 inquiries per semester.
National Operations Co-Lead
Young at Heart Ghana
Accra, Ghana
2020.01 - 2024.06
- Coordinated 3–6 youth empowerment programmes, engaging 200–500 participants per programme.
- Planned, implemented, and monitored initiatives across 5–10 regions.
- Supervised 5–15 regional team leads to deliver consistent programme outcomes.
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant
Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, Indiana
2021.06 - 2023.06
- Delivered media and communication course materials and graded assignments for 30–60 students per term.
- Supported research in virtual reality immersive media and STEM education using data collection and basic analysis.
- Provided weekly office hours and tutoring for 10–20 students per term.
- Developed 2–3 syllabi lesson plans and assessments each year aligned to media standards.
Graduate Senator
Purdue University Northwest, Student Government
Hammond, USA
2021.08 - 2022.02
- Represented graduate students in university governance, participating in 3–6 committee and council meetings each year.
- Reviewed, edited, and maintained student government policies, bylaws, and resolutions to ensure clarity and alignment with institutional regulations.
- Drafted and revised written recommendations for 2–4 major academic policy initiatives or reviews annually.
- Collected feedback from 20–50 graduate students per semester and communicated concerns and proposed changes to university administrators.
Teaching Assistant
University of Cape Coast
Cape Coast, Ghana
2019.01 - 2020.01
- Assisted delivering lectures and seminars for 80–120 students each session.
- Delivered tutorials for 25–40 students and facilitated course discussions actively.
- Graded 100–200 assignments and exams and supported research via data collection.
Communication Expert & Client Relations Officer
Dalex Finance and Leasing Company
Cape Coast, Ghana
2017.09 - 2019.11
- Served as primary contact, handling 20–50 loan application inquiries weekly.
- Coordinated 10–30 client requests per week between clients and internal teams.
- Explained financial products and services to 50–150 clients in the portfolio.
National Service Personnel Vice President
Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly
Cape Coast, Ghana
2018.08 - 2019.08
- Coordinated activities for 20–50 national service personnel each year daily operations.
- Supported administrative tasks across 3–5 departments as daily coverage requirements.
- Handled 30–80 inquiries or updates per quarter for timely service delivery.
STEM Instructor
Young at Heart
Accra, Ghana
2013.01 - 2019.07
- Delivered STEM lessons in rural, underserved communities for 50–150 students yearly.
- Created 5–15 instructional resources for accessible STEM learning.
- Mentored 10–30 senior high students annually and ran 3–6 outreach programmes.
Elementary School Teacher
King Jesus International School
Accra, Ghana
2010.01 - 2012.12
- Delivered English and mathematics instruction for elementary assignments covering 30-60 students per term.
- Marked assignments for 30-60 students per term to track progress and understanding.
- Mentored 15-20 students per term, building study habits and academic confidence.
Education
PhD - Communication and Media Studies
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 2023.06 - 2027.06
Master of Arts - Communication Studies
Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, Indiana 2019.01 - 2023.01
Bachelor of Arts - English, Religion, Human Values
University of Cape Coast
Cape Coast, Ghana 2015.08 - 2019.08
Skills
- Education policy development
- Program design for equity
- STEM and STEAM curriculum support
- Creative media application
- Media writing and research
- Strategic communication
- Qualitative and mixed-methods research
- Content analysis
- Literature reviews
- University teaching experience
- Workshop facilitation
- Student mentoring
- Public speaking
- Game development in Unity
- Python programming
- Photography and video editing
- AR prototyping for education
- Fluent in English
Certification
- Game Development with Unity (Udemy).
- Game Design and AI Masterclass for Beginners (Udemy).
- Introduction to Photography, WordPress, and Video Editing (Udemy).
- Introduction to Python for Beginners (Udemy).
VOLUNTEER / COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Appiah Sports Impact,
- Founder & Director, Ghana, 2023-09, Present, - Founded and lead a sports-based youth empowerment initiative reaching 50–150 young people per year.
- Design and oversee 3–6 community programs annually promoting education, discipline, and leadership through sports.
- Manage 3–10 partnerships, program strategy, and outreach activities.
Ghanaian Students Association
- Founder & President, Eugene, Oregon, 2023-09, 2026-06.
- Founded and led an association supporting Ghanaian students’ academic and social integration.
- Organized 3–6 cultural, academic, and networking events per year.
- Advocated for student welfare, liaising with university offices and responding to 20–50 student concerns annually.
African Students Association
- Co-Director, Eugene, Oregon
- Supported strategic leadership and coordination of African student programming.
- Helped organize 3–6 cultural showcases, events, and advocacy initiatives per year for roughly 50–150 students.
Affiliations
- Member, American Federation of Teachers.
- Member, National Communication Association.
- Researcher, Game Studies and Immersive Technologies Lab, University of Oregon.
- Member, UniDescription Lab and Project, University of Hawai‘i.
- SCR Emerging Scholar, Center for Science Communication Research.
PUBLICATIONS & RESEARCH
- The Rhetoric of Ghanaian Religious Communication.
- Activism and Civic Engagement on YouTube? Analyzing reactions to Kamala Harris’ LGBTI+ comments in Ghana.
- Confronting LGBTQ Issues in Strategic Communication: President Akuffo Addo’s Response to the LGBTQ Bill in Ghana.
- Semiotics Analysis of the Ghanaian Coat of Arms: Decoding the History, Language, Ideology, Denotation, and Connotation behind the Coat of Arms.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL & ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT
- Presenter/participant at international and university conferences on gender and sexuality, social sciences, and behavioral research.
- Guest lecture on disability in media studies; public talk on immersive technologies and African folklore storytelling for STEM education.
- Organized faculty–student panel discussions at the University of Oregon featuring senior leaders from the University of Ghana.
- Launched a Ghanaian language and culture initiative and supported UO’s study abroad program to Ghana.
- Led student-led street safety and basic-needs fundraising initiatives, including media-covered campaigns in Eugene.
TEACHING
COM 101: Fundamentals of Speech Communication, class size 50–60, taught over 2 years; teaching evaluations available on request via shared online folder.
Languages
English
Advanced (C1)
Accomplishments
- 2026 Graduate Education Excellence in Mentorship Award (University of Oregon)
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Student Leadership Award, University of Oregon
- Best Departmental President, Faculty of Arts, University of Cape Coast
- Outstanding Paper, Division of Journalism and Communication, Graduate School, University of Oregon
- Lokey Scholarship (University of Oregon)
- Columbia Scholarship (University of Oregon)
- Professional Development Graduate Award (University of Oregon)
- Dean's Grant in Creative Work, School of Journalism and Communication
- Professor Emerita Betty Foster McCue Graduate Award
- Civic Watchdog Journalism Endowment Fund Scholarship
- Winner, National Inter-University Debate Competition (2019)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Conference Ambassador
University of Oregon, Event Services
2025.06 - 2025.09
Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Associated Students of the University of Oregon
2025.01 - 2026.01
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, Media & Communication
University of Oregon
2023.09 - 2027.06
Steward, Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation
University of Oregon
2023.09 - 2025.06
Founder and Director
Ghanaian students Association at UO
2023.07 - 2025.09
PhD - Communication and Media Studies
University of Oregon
2023.06 - 2027.06
Graduate Senator
Purdue University Northwest, Student Government
2021.08 - 2022.02
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant
Purdue University Northwest
2021.06 - 2023.06
Founder and Director
Appiah Sports Impact (Nonprofit Organization)
2020.01 - Current
National Operations Co-Lead
Young at Heart Ghana
2020.01 - 2024.06
Master of Arts - Communication Studies
Purdue University Northwest
2019.01 - 2023.01
Teaching Assistant
University of Cape Coast
2019.01 - 2020.01
National Service Personnel Vice President
Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly
2018.08 - 2019.08
Communication Expert & Client Relations Officer
Dalex Finance and Leasing Company
2017.09 - 2019.11
Bachelor of Arts - English, Religion, Human Values
University of Cape Coast
2015.08 - 2019.08
STEM Instructor
Young at Heart
2013.01 - 2019.07
Elementary School Teacher
King Jesus International School
2010.01 - 2012.12