n “He is a quiet leader,” said men’s soccer coach Liam Behrens of senior Ampofo Darko. “He does everything, not by words so much, but by action.”
Through interviews and talking to people on campus, it becomes clear that Ampofo is a great example for every student . He is a two-time member of the Academic All-ODAC team, member of Guilford’s Student-Athlete Honor Roll, Bonner Scholar, recipient of a Guilford Dana Scholarship, member of Guilford’s International Club, has served as a leader in Guilford’s orientation program and has volunteered as a tutor and at local homeless shelters and retirement homes.
The other night, I sat in the underground across from Darko, otherwise known as Pofo and to some more affectionately known as simply Po. He joked with me gently.
“Did you know I invented Jenga?” he said.
“No way,” I said.
“Yeah, in Ghana, Jenga means building block,” he said.
“Really?” I wondered. A broad smile broke across his face.
As we sat sipping coffee, Darko slowly unraveled the details of his life. Born in Kumasi, Ghana, he came to live in the United States when he was nine years old. He and his siblings all lived in Providence, R.I., while his mother studied at Brown University for her Ph.D. in Sociology.
After his mother completed her studies, she returned with Pofo’s sister to Ghana. Pofo and his brother, Qwame, stayed to be educated in the United States. Pofo went to Olney Friends School in Ohio for two years and then to Sandy Springs Friends School in Maryland before starting at Guilford in 2000.
Quakerism has had a huge effect on Darko’s life and the way he views the world, particularly the pacifist aspect. “Everyone who knows me would probably say I am a pretty laid-back guy,” said Darko.
Darko has played soccer at Guilford since his freshman year. Coach Behrens says he is probably one of the fastest guys in the conference. His record shows that he has the ability to score big goals. This year alone he has scored four game-winning goals. He is a consistent and calm athlete.
“I played with him back then,” said Gabe Guindon who has known Darko since high school. “He was good, not as good then as he is now. He used to be scrawny. He was skinny as a rail, but he has always been quick.”
“He is one of the kindest, most thoughtful young men I have come across,” said Coach Behrens, “He treats everyone on the team with the same respect whether they are starters or not.”
Darko started playing the sport as a child in Ghana, where soccer is very popular. He has always loved the game. Although this will be his last year playing at the collegiate level, he hopes to continue playing after Guilford.
Darko is also very active off campus. He has volunteered for the past four years at the Friends Home across the street from Guilford maintaining the woodland area trail. He speaks affectionately of Mrs. Peterson, a resident he’s become particularly close with through this work.
Darko has also been volunteering as a tutor at Pathways, a homeless shelter for families. More recently he has also been working at the Servant Center, a shelter for disabled men. At the Servant center he visits mostly with veterans.
As a member of YALP, Young Alumni Leadership Program, Dako is working to build relations between Guilford and young alumni. He is also a part of the international house as a resident of Hildebrant.
Persuaded by his father to try the subject, Darko is now majoring in chemistry at Guilford. He is applying to graduate schools in medical chemistry, but is also considering pharmacy school. He hopes to either do research on how to synthesize pharmaceuticals or work in pharmacy practice.
Guilford will be sad to see Darko leave; he has enriched the school in many ways. But Darko is sure to bring the same quiet leadership to wherever life takes him after graduation.