March 2008 Strathmore University 2 SU the University with Highest Web Presence in East Africa
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ALUMNI S NEWSLETTERU CONTENTS.................... 2 :: SU the university with highest web presence in East Africa :: Proclaiming peace atop Mt. Kilimanjaro 3 :: The Overlooked Factor 4 :: Students documentary launched as best of 2007 are awarded 5 :: Sperling and McFie decorated by state :: Model UN debate held in SU 6 :: SBS hosts lecture on patient safety management :: 4th Annual Careers Fair a success 7 :: Keri Residence at three 8 :: SU to launch two new degree programs March 2008 Strathmore University 2 SU the university with highest web presence in East Africa A computer lab at Strathmore University. The University has over 400 computers with email and internet at the disposal of its students Strathmore University is the Universities” is an initiative of the and scholarly communication of highest ranked university in East Cybermetrics Lab, a research group scientific knowledge. This is a Africa in the latest webometrics belonging to the Centro Superior de new emerging discipline called ranking of universities worldwide Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Cybermetrics. dated January 2008. the largest public research body in The Cybermetrics Lab has designed SU is ranked position 21 in Africa Spain. and applied quantitative indicators up from position 50 in April 2007. Cybermetrics Lab is devoted to the that measure the research and The University of Dar es Salaam is quantitative analysis of the Internet scientific activity on the web. ranked position 22. and Web contents especially those For more details please see: http:// The “Webometrics Ranking of World related to the processes of generation www.webometrics.info/about.html Proclaiming peace atop Mt Kilimanjaro From Left Luis Franceschi, Damian Maingi, George Thinwa, Austin Omeno, Odilon Dizon, James Muriuki and John Matogo. at the Uhuru Peak calling for peace in the country. Through their good spirit of service A group of 15 students and staff The trip was organized by Mbagathi and teamwork, 14 out of the 15 from Strathmore University and Study Centre. The students and participants reached the top. Only other Kenyan universities climbed staff wanted to send a message of one of the students who suffered Mt Kilimanjaro and reached the peace to all Kenyans in these trying from severe mountain sickness Uhuru Peak which at 5895 metres moments the country is going had to remain at the level of the is the highest point in Africa. through. They displayed a banner 5,000 metres. March 2008 Strathmore University 3 ‘The Overlooked Factor’ ...a book by Fr Paul Mimbi To get a disturbing child off his back A lot of effort is being made to ‘The Overlooked Factor’ is an a tired father shreds a page with a make ours a better world with attempt at unravelling the mystery of world map from his newspaper and no explicit role given to the most man, seeking to understand the very challenges the little fellow to piece fundamental factor: man! What root of his unity of being in all its it up together. The chap speeds off [is] man (relating to his identity, human manifestations. Besides, we to his room and comes back after essence, nature)? Why man are dealing with a broken humanity. ten minutes to the amazement of (his goal, purpose, reason for Why not tackle man’s brokenness daddy. The boy was about to give existence)? How man (the right before we prescribe a nice set of up when he suddenly discovered choice of means to that end)? economic and democratic rules? that the reverse side of the page had Besides, we are dealing with a Martin Kimani captured the paradox a portrait of a wanted gangster… broken humanity. Why not tackle prevalent in our Kenyan discourse By piecing up the human face, man’s brokenness before we on socio-economic issues in the which he recognized, he managed prescribe a nice set of economic, ‘EastAfrican’ issue of February 4- to solve the puzzle of the shredded social and political rules? 10. “Kenya’s political analysts and world map. writers insist on believing that politics is a secular affair three-pronged approach. First, there is the traditional governed only by material means and ends. Yet even as approach: the so-called third-person perspective. This they believe that about politics the rest of their lives is the view of the human being that results from looking are suffused with belief in the transcendent,” Kimani at persons as a collection of objects. It is the preferred wrote. approach of the scientific method. Kimani’s point was there is more to man than economic Then there is the first-person perspective, the method efficiency and democracy. To give a holistic account that consists in viewing people as a collection of of the human person, Fr Paul adopts in this book a subjects. This translates into looking at the mystery March 2008 Strathmore University 4 of man from the point of view of the acting person. Fr Paul holds an MA and a PhD in Philosophy If considered in tandem with the first method, it is an (Pontifical Roman Athenaeum of the Holy Cross, equally valid approach. Rome) and a Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) from University of Nairobi. He was ordained priest in But what really crowns the two approaches is the 1982. He is currently a lecturer in Ethics and Theology powerful concept of intersubjectivity: the second- at Strathmore University. person perspective. This is the view that sees inter- The book is available on sale at the University’s personal relationship as fundamental. Distance Learning Centre sales office. Students documentary launched as best of 2007 are awarded Elated members of AIESEC with one of the trophies the club bagged Finance Students Association (FSA) won the most promising award among the new students’ societies while AIESEC won the best annual report award. After the awards the Dean of students hosted the students to a garden lunch held at the University’s graduation fields. To immortalize the unprecedented team of the year. It scored 65 points students’ achievements for the year ahead of the second placed Rugby The university achieved exceptional 2007, the Office of Dean of Students team who scored 42 points. success in co-curricular activities in 2007. SU became the first university on 26th January launched its first The late Eric Shiahale who coached documentary on co-curricular side to win the EA hockey club the men’s hockey team to numerous championship. Leos, the University activities at the University. The glories in 2007 was also named rugby team became the first team 17 minute documentary is titled coach of the year post-humously. to win both the Eric Shirley Shield ‘Living our Dreams’. Best rookies in each sports team and the Mwamba Cup and was The documentary sold over 110 were awarded too and outgoing promoted to the highest rugby copies in its first week. It can be captains were congratulated for the league in Kenya. bought at the Dean of Students role they played in leading their The ladies basketball team won the Office for Kshs300. “It is the first teams to numerous victories. Nairobi basketball league and was among many more to come,” says AIESEC club bagged the best promoted to the national premier the Dean of Students, Mr Paul students club for 2007. Students league. The University’s Students Ochieng. in Free Entreprise (SIFE) was Marketing Society (SMS) became At the event, various teams and declared the club with the best the first student’s society in East clubs were awarded for their social responsibility project. The Africa to be accredited by UK’s outstanding achievements. The Art Club (Qualiza Sanaa) won the Chartered Institute of Marketers men’s hockey team was named the best poster award. (CIM). March 2008 Strathmore University 5 Sperling and McFie decorated by state of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kenya confer awards and honours to the following persons,” the gazette reads. It then lists 204 people bestowed various honours. Those in the same category as Prof. Sperling include renown writer Prof. Ngugi wa Thiongo and vice chancellors of Nairobi, Maseno, Moi and Egerton universities. Prof. Sperling was the first principal of Strathmore College. He is a Prof.essor at University of Nairobi and teaches at Strathmore University as well. Prof David Sperling (E.B.S) Dr James McFie (M.B.S) Dr.. James McFie is the Academic and Research Prof. David Sperling and Dr. James McFie were Director, Faculty of Commerce. He was for many awarded the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear years the Director, School of Accountancy. The award (E.B.S) and the Moran of the Order of the Burning crowned a year which saw him appointed to various Spear (M.B.S) respectively by President Kibaki on high Prof.ile appointments. 12th December 2007. In June 2007, he was appointed a non-executive The awards were announced in a special issue of director of The Standard Group, the publishers of ‘The ‘The Kenya Gazette’ dated 11th December 2007. Standard’ newspaper and owners of KTN TV station. “In recognition of outstanding or distinguished He now heads the board’s audit committee. And last services rendered to the nation in various capacities, September, he was appointed Chairman of Sasini I Mwai Kibaki, President and Commander-in-chief Group. Model UN debate held in SU Enock Onsare addressing the assembly The debate was a mock debate of the main debate to be held in Gigiri from 3rd March to 7th. The best five debaters at Gigiri will represent Kenya at the annual Model UN meeting in New York. On Saturday the 16th February, Strathmore Model Three resolutions were introduced during the General United Nations (MUN) Club hosted the annual Assembly by the delegations from Uganda, Iran and Kenya Model United Nations (KMUN) mock debate.