At Warner Pacific University, one of our core missions is to provide students from diverse backgrounds with a Christ-centered education that prepares them to engage actively in a constantly changing world. We hope to live out the mission through each and every student that walks through our door. We are proud to tell you about one alumnus who is living his life “With Purpose” and actively making a difference in Ghana through the university he founded, the Palm Institute.
Upon arriving in the United States in December 2004, Dr. Peter Carlos Okantey was looking to further his college education in Portland, Oregon. He visited a few open houses at different universities, and when he sent his transcriptions to each institution, he heard back first from Warner Pacific University.
“When I arrived in the U.S., I was just blown away by the differences between the two worlds,” said Dr. Okantey. It got me thinking and asking, ‘Why does the world I grew up in seem to be so far behind?’”
Dr. Okantey said he was amazed by the sacrifices that leaders in the United States throughout history have made for their people. “I realized Ghana could really use a generation of leaders who are ethical; leaders who are selfless and would use the resources of the country to give back to the people to help them develop themselves so they can also succeed in life,” said Dr. Okantey.
That’s when he conceived the idea of starting his own institution back at home. He thought to himself: If I can do that, a majority of the problems will be solved. He said this idea was a “pie in the sky” at the time and seemed unlikely to succeed. Today in 2023, he states: “I strongly believe that is what we’re doing now.”
In 2006, Dr. Okantey earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Warner Pacific College (now University). The same year, he founded the Naa Amerly Palm Education (NAPE) Foundation to help fund his vision of starting a university to educate ethical and excellent leaders in Africa. Dr. Okantey also enrolled in a graduate program at Warner Pacific and earned his Master’s of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership in 2008.
Following his graduation from Warner Pacific, he enrolled in a doctorate degree program at Regent University in Virginia where he earned a Doctorate and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Strategic Leadership in June 2012. He left the United States in August of 2012 to return home to Ghana, now ready to launch the new university.
It was the principled liberal arts teaching he experienced at Warner Pacific that truly inspired him to replicate that same education through the new Palm Institute. “When I was at Warner Pacific, my writing skills, speaking, and math skills all became stronger,” stated Dr. Okantey. “I had good relationships with my professors there compared to back home. I really benefitted from all the resources that a liberal arts education had to offer.”
Dr. Okantey especially attributes his success to President Emeritus of WPU, Rev. Dr. Jay Barber, who provided the spark of inspiration. “When I first conceived the vision to start a university, I booked an appointment to go see Dr. Barber to tell him my vision,” said Dr. Okantey. “He didn’t discourage me but rather told me I can do it. He connected me to one of the most influential people that I’ve had on this journey, Lee Nusich. Lee was the first donor of the university, and he became the chairman of the Board of Trustees for over a decade.” Dr. Okantey said it was one of the “biggest blessings” he’s experienced, considering he started the Palm Institute with just $50 and renting a four-bedroom outhouse facility.
The Palm Institute offered two associate degree (or diploma) programs in 2014 and had six students. Today, they offer five accredited programs: three bachelor’s degrees (four year) programs and two diploma (two year) programs. Additionally, they are currently in the process of attaining four graduate degree programs.
Most of the students they work with come from very poor, rural backgrounds and are financially disadvantaged. “The work of the foundation in the U.S, raising funds to support brilliant but financially disadvantaged students has been significant,” said Dr. Okantey. “Without the foundation and the support of our members, we wouldn’t have been able to build a university to where it is today.”
“My experience at Warner Pacific helped shape my vision and mission. It influenced my thinking for higher education as far as the liberal arts education and the relationships I gained through it,” said Dr. Okantey. “I’m very grateful for all the people who were willing to listen to me and hear what I had on my heart.”
Dr. Okantey described the growth the Palm Institute has experienced since opening. “We have raised millions of dollars to give out in scholarships and we have built a campus for the university. Today, we sit on a 57-acre property where we now have academic, administrative, and residential facilities for our students,” he said. “As we speak, we have 35 students and by September we are adding 50 students to our enrollment. It’s been an amazing journey and I’m looking forward to watching it grow.”