Frank Tenkorang has taught economics and agribusiness courses at UNK since 2006. He also serves as chair of the Accounting, Finance and Economics Department.
A native of Accra, Ghana, he holds three degrees in agricultural economics – a bachelor’s from the University of Ghana, master’s from the University of Wyoming and doctorate from Purdue University.
Why did you decide to study agricultural economics?
I went to college with veterinary medicine in mind but switched to agricultural economics after taking my first couple of economics classes. I was drawn to agricultural economics because it is applied economics and has higher job prospects.
Why did you choose this career path?
In Ghana, high school and college graduates are required to serve their country through the National Service Scheme. Because of a lack of teachers in the country, most service personnel, including myself, were sent to villages to teach. I enjoyed teaching math to third grade and middle school students during that year, so I chose to teach at a university that values undergraduate education.
What classes do you teach?
Agricultural Price Analysis, Agricultural Marketing, Intermediate Microeconomics, Managerial Economics and Business Analytics and Decision Making.
How do your courses prepare students for their future careers?
My courses are primarily data-oriented. Data, especially big data, could be intimidating. With data becoming the new “oil,” I teach students to embrace and refine it to make informed business decisions.
What sets UNK’s business programs apart from other colleges and universities?
Students get a high-quality education enveloped in experiential learning in small classes at UNK. We are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the most prestigious business accrediting body, which requires us to use highly qualified instructors.
What do you love about UNK and Kearney?
I have always been interested in teaching at a small, undergraduate college in a small town, and Kearney is a small town with a big-town feel. I come from a city of more than 2 million people, so the 10-minute commute to work is a luxury. Kearney is also a safe community, which I found appealing for raising my two kids.
Share a fun fact about yourself:
Friends call me Frank Tee, but the T stands for more than my last name. It’s for “tea” because I drink it often in a big mug, and for tennis, the game that starts with love, and I love it. I wish I could play better, though.
“Ask an Antelope” is a Q&A series highlighting UNK faculty and staff and their impact on the campus and community.
