Hundreds of students graduated from Uganda Christian University (UCU) during its 27th graduation ceremony, with university leaders urging them to embrace integrity, discipline and service as they begin their professional careers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi commended female students for their outstanding academic performance, noting that they dominated the First Class honours list.
"Out of the 102 graduates who attained First Class degrees, 62 are women, and the overall best graduating student is also a woman. This is a testament to the dedication and excellence our students continue to demonstrate," Prof. Mushengyezi said.
He urged the graduates to use their education for the benefit of society.
"Success should not only be measured by your personal achievements but by your commitment to serving others and the positive impact you make in your communities," he said.
The guest of honour, former Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Luke Orombi, challenged the graduates to become ethical leaders and agents of positive change.
"Serve people with dignity, reject corruption, and become leaders who create opportunities for others rather than waiting for opportunities to come to you," Orombi said.
He also encouraged graduates to embrace innovation.
"Use research and innovation to develop solutions that address society's challenges and bring hope to communities," he added.
The Archbishop of Uganda and Chancellor of Uganda Christian University, Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, reminded graduates to uphold the university's Christian values wherever they go.
"Remain disciplined and uphold the values of this university by serving society with integrity and excellence. Let your character speak as loudly as your academic qualifications," Kaziimba said.
Kaziimba also commended the university administration for its financial discipline, noting that prudent management had enabled the institution to become loan-free while maintaining clean audit reports over the years.
Among the graduates was Next Media business reporter Victor Tayebwa, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. He described balancing work and studies as challenging but rewarding.
"I am grateful to my bosses and editors for assigning me to early news stories, which gave me enough time to attend lectures and complete my studies. Their support made it possible for me to balance work and academics successfully," Tayebwa said.
Uganda Christian University's Communications Officer, Jimmy Siasa, graduated with a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication. He said the programme had equipped him with the knowledge and practical skills needed to make a meaningful contribution to the media industry and national development.
"We are committed to practicing responsible journalism, promoting Uganda positively, and using the knowledge and skills we have acquired to contribute to national development," Siasa said.
He added that the master's programme is particularly relevant in an era of information overload, explaining that it had equipped him to ethically and strategically curate information, enabling him to present accurate, well-structured and meaningful content that is useful and accessible to target audiences.
The 27th graduation ceremony saw 1,274 students awarded qualifications. Acen Dawn, a Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics Management graduate, was recognised as the overall best student after attaining an outstanding cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.91.
