UoN awards outstanding achievers
The University of Nairobi on Friday, May 6, 2022 held the 3rd Prize Presentation Ceremony in Taifa Hall. The historical event was colourful and brought together alumni who were students in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years.
The event saw a total of 275 students awarded with a total of 474 awards that ranged from gold medals, cash prizes and trophies from over 100 donors and partners.
The Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Fund awarded all best performing students from all faculties for the two academic years. Other awards focused on thematic areas within the Faculties and other awards focused on either the best female or best male performing students overall.
Cynthia Wahito, the best performing student overall celebrated and congratulated all the fellow prize recipients, she applauded, ‘let's fold our sleeves and build our nation, success only starts with a vision to get somewhere and it's only by hard work and consistency that it is achieved.”
The Deputy Vice-chancellor Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Ogeng’o who welcomed the guests, awardees, donors and the entire university fraternity to the event said the University strives to award the good work put in by the students while at the Institution.
Prof Stephen Kiama thanked all the donors for supporting the initiative. The VC said the University not only awards academic excellence but also recognizes talented students in other fields, he said the university is working to establish a mechanism for recognizing the efforts of continuing undergraduates, an event he said will be held annually. Prof Kiama said the university continues to do well as evident in the recent scientific rankings by AD where UoN secured 18 positions of the coveted top 50 positions nationally, he encouraged all students to help maintain the quality of the UoN Brand.
Mrs. Anastacia Nthenya, who represented the donors, emphasized the need for a society that celebrates the small and big milestones achieved by its children, a factor she said motivates the young ones to achieve more. She urged more companies to come in as donors so that the University can focus on its core mandate of research and innovation.
Ms. Margaret from the Gandhi Smarak foundation, which has always been one of UoN’s top donors, in her sentiments, said that the Foundation prides itself in education and seeing children educated.
Dau Rebecca and Eunice Muthoni who were among those that received the most awards from the department of pharmacy, spoke to Corporate Affairs staff and shared their delight in the awards they received, saying it's a sign that the university recognized and appreciated the effort put in by students in their studies. They called for consistency for the continuing students, especially those pursuing pharmacy. The two thanked the entire university fraternity for all the help given while undertaking their undergraduate degree and more so to their lecturers who saw to it that they succeed.
Nick Wainaina, one of the awardees from the faculty of law shared his delight in the four awards he got to take home. In an interview with the Corporate Affairs staff, Nick expressed his happiness saying that the awards represent a journey, one through law school, that will see him contribute to the country’s growth. His advice to the young generation in law school is to put in the work, seek out mentors in the legal sector already and avoid shortcuts.
