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ALUMNI ENDOWMENT DINNER RAISES CLOSE TO 2.5 MILLION
Over 300 USIU-Africa alumni, faculty staff and friends of USIU-Africa came together on Friday August 3, to give towards establishment of an Alumni Endowment Fund, that will benefit bright but disadvantaged students in acquiring a world class education at USIU-Africa.
The Endowment Fund launch at Mövenpick Hotel and Residences in Nairobi, featured Daisy Wanzala (IR ‘15) and Ogutu Muraya (IR ‘11) - alumni who previously benefited from financial aid during their college career at USIU-Africa - describing the life-changing impact the aid had on their lives.
IR Sophomore Antonio Longangi,shared his arduous journey to undertaking his academic career at USIU-Africa beginning in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a journey that continues in no small part thanks to the University’s various financial aid programs.
The Chair of the Alumni Association, Ms. Dorothy Sagwe, in her remarks emphasized that need for individuals to build legacies for themselves by offering chances to other people, urging her audience to “plant a seed in someone’s life through the endowment fund.” The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Zeleza in his speech acknowledged alumni as key stakeholders in the growth of their
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By Beatrice Munyiva
alma mater. “The value of social responsibility and care for others within the community is integral in our culture. To see you today demonstrate that value is quite gratifying. Establishing this Endowment Fund will go a long way in positively impacting the lives of young promising students in Kenya, Africa and the whole world,” he said.
Chief Guest Dr. Kevit Desai, who is the Principal Secretary - Ministry of Education, State Department of Vocational and Technical Education, and Chair of the USIU-Africa Board of Trustees expressed his appreciation for the launch an endowment fund citing it as a unique occasion where alumni have come together to support their own.
“In the Eastern Africa region, USIU-Africa has set the pace, which other universities have emulated, to support needy students within their community. To her record USIU-Africa has provided financial aid to more than 3,600 students. Annually, USIU-Africa sets aside more than Kshs.100 million to support needy students. It is therefore quite a delight to see the alumni saying, through this event, that they too want to make an important difference,” he said.
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