Class of 2010, AU’s most diverse group of graduates

 More than three hundred young people were awarded their degree certificates at Africa University’s 16^thGraduation Ceremony, held on Saturday, 12 June. The Class of 2010 included 248 undergraduate and 101 graduate degree recipients and with 21 African countries represented, it is the most diverse graduating class in the institution’s history.

For the graduates, the arrival of Graduation Day brought a great deal of excitement. Asked to highlight what made their time at university special, many spoke of the impact of the economic upheaval in Zimbabwe. They said that it drew them closer together, unleashed incredible generosity and fostered in them, both perseverance and humility.

“I am able to graduate because of the community stepping in and helping me out time and again,” said Fungai Tsikira from Zimbabwe.

The 23-year-old accounting major is the last-born in a family of five children and an orphan. Following the death of his parents in 2001, members of Tsikira’s extended family provided for his basic needs and paid his school fees. When he enrolled at university, initially all was well. He received financial aid from the University, various family members contributed and his fees were paid. However, as the economic crisis in Zimbabwe deepened in 2008-2009, the family failed to cope. Tsikira was left with an unpaid fees balance in the middle of his third year. He began his industrial attachment placement in January 2009 and because he could not pay his fees, he did not register to continue his studies. Desperate, Tsikira appealed to the University for additional financial aid.

What kept Tsikira in school was support from contributions by local companies to a bail-out fund for needy students. In July 2009, Tsikira was chosen as one of five final year students to receive full scholarships from the Delta Corporation, a leading Zimbabwean drinks manufacturer. This funding allowed him to complete his final year of studies.

“I have a personal testimony of God’s favour and I appreciate the importance of others in my life,” Tsikira said. “I’m not just concerned for myself and my family...I am committed to giving something back to the community.”

The theme of responsibility and reciprocity was echoed in the Commencement Address given by Dr. Thomas W. Cole Jr., the president-emeritus of Clark Atlanta University and a former member of the Africa University Board of Directors.

“What you have gained must not only be of benefit to you, but also to your community, country and continent,” said Cole. “Remember that you will also be a part of this institution and it will always be a part of you. Make a pact to help this university thrive and as success comes to you, share it with Africa University. Think of the bridges that have helped you over...make your contribution because you inherited a legacy from others who gave you strength to reach this point and to change to world.”

Sharing inspirational words from African-American luminaries such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, Dr. Cole urged the graduating class to sow wisely, persevere and create a new leadership for Africa.

 “You are reaping your harvest today,” said Cole. “But your work is not done. Throughout life we are constantly sowing, ploughing and harvesting. Sometimes, we will not see the harvest...but the good news is you made it. You have crossed the river, but the ocean is still ahead.”

For Tsikira and others who have now completed their studies, graduation has brought relief from years of uncertainty and struggle. They and their dreams have survived food shortages, record levels of inflation, an extremely tight money supply and the eventual demise of the Zimbabwe dollar.

“The change from paying fees in Zimbabwe dollars to (paying in) United States dollars was a real challenge for my parents…finances were hard from my second to third year at university and in my fourth year, I got financial assistance,” said Jaykumar Piprotar, who was also an accounting major.

Lucy Nyamupanedengu, a graduate student in the Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance (IPLG), faced similar difficulties.

“Sometimes I started the semester late because we couldn’t raise the fees,” Nyamupanedengu said. “It was a struggle, but it was worth it…the peace programme is something unique. The fact that you can discuss subjects with people from different countries enabled me to get deeper insights into what other countries have gone through and this has enriched my experiences.”

Piprotar was one of four graduates who were awarded first class degree certificates. He completed his four-year degree in Accounting with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.73 out of a possible 4.0.

“My first year was a lot of hard work and I kept up the momentum throughout,” said Piprotar. “The secret (to success) is to work hard, motivate yourself and make the most of what you have, including your time. My family (members) have been my inspiration and they have given me a lot of encouragement.”

Piprotar, who hopes to become a Chartered Accountant, was honoured with the Zimre Prize, awarded to the Best Overall Graduating Student at Africa University and a number of other prizes for academic excellence in his subject area.

“From Africa University, I came out a socially better person than I could have been,” said Piprotar. “The courses in communications, ethics and language all helped me to become well-rounded and I don’t think I would have got this elsewhere.”

Two of Piprotar’s fellow students in the Faculty of Management and Administration, Faith Masekesa and Gladys Zichawo, also completed their studies with excellent results and were awarded first class honours degrees in Economics. Masekesa, one of the five Delta Corporation Scholars in 2009-2010, was recognised as the Best Female Graduating Student with the Highest CGPA and the Graduating Female Student with Outstanding Performance in Sports. The fourth student to be awarded a first class degree was Paul Mazumba who earned a Bachelor of Divinity in the Faculty of Theology.

Other institutional prize winners include Kudzai Tuso who received the award for Graduating Male Student with Outstanding Performance in Sports. The University community recognized the service efforts of three members of the graduating class. A national of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joe Samalenge and two Zimbabweans, Tiwirirai Mhlanga and Benjamin Juru, were given community service awards.

“I feel honoured and very much pleased and I am also excited because coming to Africa University was a test to see if I could study again,” said Samalenge. He had been sick for five years and was recovering from treatment of a brain tumour when he enrolled for his degree in Divinity in 2006. Throughout his studies, Samalenge had to cope with restrictions due to his health. Nonetheless, he took on a variety of other responsibilities including tutoring Intensive English classes, counselling fellowship groups and serving on the executive of the Student Representative Council between 2007 and 2009.

 “AU has equipped us with skills for both the corporate world and entrepreneurship,” Samalenge said. “It has nurtured us in ethics and Christian values and it has enabled us to make friends with people from countries we have never set foot in. We have been given the opportunity to create a wide and influential network all over our continent...and we have learned from each other’s experiences, languages, traditions and cultures.”

Speaking on behalf of the Class of 2010, Samalenge called on his fellow graduates to give back to Africa University.

“It is not enough to go out there and be ambassadors of Africa University and market it,” he said. “Rather, what really matters is for us to stretch out our hands and reach out to our fellow students who have remained behind. It is my wish that we come together and build a scholarship fund for the needy students who are struggling to raise fees.”

In the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, degree certificates were awarded to 97 graduates, followed by the Faculty of Management and Administration with 71 graduates and the Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance with 60 graduates. The rest of the graduating class was divided between the Faculties of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Education, Health Sciences and Theology.

The countries represented in the graduating class include Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This year’s graduates have joined more than 3000 Africa University alumni at work in communities across the continent.

Story by Andra Stevens.

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