This sophomore is such a catch you’ll be trying to take him on a date! With the highest bid at the Valentine’s Charity Auction, hosted by CSA, he raised the steep and generous price of $150. Granted no human should be valued in terms of money, but once you meet him you’ll understand why the winning bidders emptied out their pockets for a date with him. Catch him while you can, because his love for travel and intense dedication keeps him on a tight schedule that you’ll be vying for a spot in. Meet Ato Bentsi-Enchill, this week’s Campus Cutie!
The Basics:
Name: Ato Bentsi-Enchill
Year: Sophomore
Major: International Relations and French
Minor: n/a
Hometown: Accra, Ghana
Activities: SANKOFA, HWS Leads, The Pitch, student worker in the Admissions Office, Communications Office, and Bristol Field House
Interested In: Women
Relationship Status: Single
Describe Yourself in Three Words: Funny, really funny, busy
Celebrity Crush: Rihanna, Dreya Michele
“Favorites”:
Place to Party: Tao, NYC
Place on Campus: Basement of Scandling (to pick up a package)
Place in Geneva, New York: Opus
Type of Food: Jollof (a type of rice)
Sport: Soccer
Accessory: Watch
Brand: Ralph Lauren
Cologne: John Varvatos
TV Show: Shark Tank, Suits, House of Lies
Movie: City Of God
Favorite class at HWS: Personal Empowerment
HC: How do you feel about being nominated as a Campus Cutie?
AB: I’m excited about it. Her Campus is new on campus and I think it’s a great initiative that William Smith girls are getting involved in. And I’m getting my name out there so that’s always a good thing!
HC: What do you look for in a girl?
AB: The way she dresses, the way she acts. Regardless of her style, she should be well put-together. Regarding character, she should act right when the time calls for it. Legs and eyes are the first things I notice.
HC: What is your idea of the perfect date in Geneva, New York?
AB: Probably go down to the wineries when the weather is right.
HC: What was your worst date?
AB: This was back home in Ghana. She showed up late, ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, did not talk, and when we were done she just got up and left. That was a waste of money and time. Apparently she was mad at me for something I didn’t know about!
HC: Any good stories from Valentine’s Day?
AB: It was the day after my birthday, so I spent that with my two best friends on campus, Tami and Chalwyn. They were my winning bidders for the CSA charity auction.
HC: You recieved the highest bid for the charity auction. Can you describe that?
AB: It was a last minute thing. I got in, I dressed really well for it, put on my best behavior. The questions weren’t that hard, and it was a good event overall. Congratulations to CSA for organizing it.
HC: Do you have any hidden talents?
AB: I used to be able to draw, but I guess I lost that talent. I’m getting back into art, just seeing and interpreting it.
HC: Is there anything else that most people do not know about you?
AB: I started working when I was 11, at my mom’s salon. When she traveled, I was in charge of handling most of the business, like the money and setting the place up. I was only 11, but I had the leadership skills to organize and run it.
HC: Who is your role model?
AB: My granddad. He’s passed, but throughout his life I looked up to him and respected him for everything he did for himself and our family. He grew up in Ghana and went to school in the UK. He started a bunch of businesses, which I guess is where I get that interest from. He also dressed really well, so I admired him for that, especially his suits.
HC: What are you involved in on campus and what are you most proud of?
AB: I’m most proud of winning The Pitch my first year, because it was a lot of work. I was barely sleeping too my first year because I was trying to get a good GPA.
HC: Winning The Pitch is a huge accomplishment. Can you describe your pitch?
AB: It ultimately started because I was bored on campus. I took a gap year after high school, during which I was working maybe 10 hours a day, back in Ghana. When I came to HWS, I had two classes a day and was bored because I was used to working long hours. I put all of my ideas into the idea lab to prepare for the pitch. I was one of the only first years involved in the competition, and preparing my pitch involved a ton of phone calls over seas. The goal of my pitch is to change education and how students learn back home in Ghana. Moving them from a rote-memorization model to get more kids to understand the concepts behind the questions that are asked, and to understand why that is the correct answer. I got a lot of feedback from staff on campus, and all these comments helped me to finally mold my idea to create Revision Prep. In the end, Revision Prep wasn’t just my idea, as everyone has put in a bit of their thoughts into it.
HC: You also recently started the Statesmen Capital Investment Fund. What made you want to start that, and how is does it relate to your interests or goals in life?
AB: Me and four other guys started the Statesmen Capital Investment Fund because we were all interested in finance. We put some pocket money together to see how we could invest in financial markets and make returns. Hopefully by graduation day we will have made a lot of money, but it’s pretty much a side project for us based on our interests in the finanancial field.
HC: Do you have a motto that you live by?
AB: Time is money. Also, “Don’t let schooling get in the way of your education” – Mark Twain.
HC: What is something that is on your Bucket List? Have you ever accomplished anything on it?
AB: I really want to go skydiving. Also I want to learn how to fly helicopters. One thing I accomplished is taking a spontaneous trip. The one I enjoyed the most was stopping in Dubai for a few days before coming back to HWS, it’s an insane city!
HC: Do you have plans to go abroad?
AB: Yeah, I’m going to Brussels in the fall. September’s coming up and I’ll be all over Europe. Every weekend I’ll try to travel to a new place.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish before you graduate?
AB: I hope to start three companies by then, raking in money. Revision Prep is one of them, and there’s a bunch of other projects in Ghana that I’m working on with friends. One might be in London. They’re all pretty diverse; some are education focused, some finance, and some politics.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
AB: I’ll be 32, so I’ll be living life. Hopefully by then I will know what I’m focusing on and what my responsibilities are with family and friends. I’ll be able to travel around the world. That might be a pretty young age for people to say that, but I see myself being a successful entrepreneur and living a happy, comfortable life with people I love.
HC: What do you want to be remembered for?
AB: As the person who is not stingy about his time. If I think you’re worth my time, I will sit down and talk to you and give you my advice. That’s the type of person I am. If I’m able, I’d give you advice. I know I said time is money, but I take time for the people that I care about. Even if I don’t know you, I would help if I can.