8,861 graduate at UoN’s 54th Graduation

Abstract

8,861 graduate at UoN’s 54th Graduation

There was pomp and celebration today, when 8,861 graduands were conferred with Degrees and awarded Diplomas during a graduation ceremony presided over by Dr. Vijoo Rattansi, the Chancellor of the University. The graduands consisted of 84 PhDs, 2,549 Masters, 5,502 Bachelors, 76 Postgraduate Diplomas and 647 ordinary Diplomas.

The ceremony which was the 54th in the history of the University’s existence drew graduands mainly from the Colleges of Health Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences.

While congratulating the graduands, Dr. Rattansi asked the graduands to make their alma mater proud of you and your achievements. “After several years of painstaking study and diligent research, today you don the black academic gown and a hood,” she said. “In the face of many challenges, you have stayed the course. You have attained scholarly achievement and justified all we looked for when calling you to the great commission of knowledge advancement. Today is the day to refresh, in your hearts and minds, the dream for a beautiful and wonderful future.”

On his part, the Dr. Idle Farah, Chairman of Council, congratulated the graduands and challenged them to make the university proud through their contributions, by being hardworking, innovative, committed and ethical. On matters administration, Dr. Farah said that indeed the University has had its fair share of challenges. He however, made an appeal to all to work as a team saying that there is much more to be gained from team work. “I wish to assure the University of Nairobi Community and stakeholders that the University is still on course to achieve the vision set out under the new management,” he said. “As Council, we believe that there is enough room for all of us to participate in the management of the institution as we strive to achieve academic excellence and outstanding research output.”

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Peter Mbithi beseeched graduands to heed the wisdom of Lao Tzu who said, “I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness, the second is frugality and the third is humility which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men”

The graduation ceremony took place against a background of great expectations from society for universities to provide the much needed guidance in the realization of the Kenya Vision 2030. The pillars of the Vision hinge on the improvement of the socio-economic and political well being of the citizens. The University of Nairobi has the capacity to be part of driving this country into realizing this vision.

Congratulations to the Class of 2015!