Palm University Foundation

Follow Our Journey.

Educating Ethical Leaders
in Africa Since 2006

Our Historical Timeline

2004

Peter Carlos Okantey leaves Accra, Ghana for Portland, Oregon with his wife, Beth Okantey.

2005

Peter begins questioning why there are so many developmental differences between Ghana and the United States and begins to search for solutions as to how he can help bridge the developmental gap that exists between them. He concludes that the reason for the differences has to do with a lack of leadership, investment in the people and quality higher education. He conceives a vision to set up a Foundation to help establish a four-year liberal arts university to educate ethical leaders in Africa to help change the course of Africa’s developmental trajectory.

2006

Peter founds the Naa Amerley Palm Education (NAPE) Foundation, a United States IRS designated 501(c)(3) organization to create quality higher educational opportunities for Africans and to build the envisioned four-year liberals university to educate and train ethical leaders in Africa.

2009 – 2011

NAPE Foundation awards scholarships to needy but brilliant Ghanaian students attending Ghanaian universities.
  • The Scholarships were first awarded in 2009 to the first 10 students through the Lee Nusich Scholarship Fund under the NAPE Foundation umbrella.
  • More scholarships were subsequently awarded by NAPE through the Matthew Essieh & Family Scholarship Fund.

2012

Palm University College is founded in Accra, Ghana and opens its doors in a rented house converted into offices, classrooms, a computer laboratory and library and begins offering Certificate Programs in Leadership in East Legon, Accra.

2013

NAPE Foundation continues to award more scholarships attending Ghanaian universities through the following scholarship funds:
  • Mike & Mary Delk Scholarship Fund
  • Nathan Howells Scholarship Fund
  • Florence Hutchful & Family Scholarship Fund
  • Robert & Susan Smith Scholarship Fund

2014

Palm enrolls the initial 11 students into its first 2 Year Degree Programs in Business Administration, Computerized Accounting and Banking Technology and Accounting

2016

Palm graduates its first class of students awarding two-year degrees in Business Administration, Computerized Accounting and Banking Technology and Accounting to the graduates.
Subsequently, between 2017 and 2019 Palm adds programs in Procurement and Materials Management and Agribusiness and Finance and awards two-year degrees to more students.

2017

Palm breaks ground to start construction of the first phase of its permanent campus in Many Jorpanya, Shai Hills.

2018

In September, construction of the first phase of the permanent campus is completed and Palm relocates to Manya Jorpanya.

2020

Palm receives accreditation to offer four-year degrees from the National Accreditation Board of Ghana.

2020

Palm signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Oklahoma State University to pursue cooperative activities in the areas of instruction, research, and outreach and promote various forms of exchange among students and faculties of the two institutions.

2021

In February 2021, Palm welcomed the first batch of BSc. Business Information Technology program freshmen on campus for freshmen orientation.

2021

On February 27, Palm matriculated the first batch of BSc. Business Information Technology students.

2021

In April 2021, Palm adopted the Honour System and Examination Honour Code

2021

In September 2021, Palm welcomed the second batch of BSc. Business Information Technology program freshmen to campus for freshmen Matriculation.

2021

In October 2021, Palm receives accreditation to run a BSc. Business Administration degree program.

2022

In July 2022, Palm receives accreditation to run a BSc. Computer Science degree program.

2022

In September 2022, Palm welcomed the third batch of students for it three degree programs.

2022

In October 2022, Palm celebrated it 10th Anniversary. As part of the celebration Palm launched it Center for Ethical Leadership.

2023

In January 2023, Palm welcomed the January cohort of 2022/2023 academic year.