UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA NEWSLETTER 2 - 8 MARCH 2019 Culture Week ends in color and pomp By Taigu Muchiri By Taigu Muchiri Participants take photo during the launch of the Institute of Higher Education, Research and Leadership Development Photo: Charlie Media The winning team from Kenya celebrate as they receive their trophy Photo: Antonio Longangi The USIU-Africa community held its annual diversity. The opening ceremony started with cultures. This year’s theme coincided with culture week from 5-7 March, 2019. This a parade walk around campus proudly the 50th year anniversary celebrating a annual festival celebrates the diversity of the adorned in the country colors and taking legacy of academic excellence. over 70 nationalities student communities pride in their heritage. The parade then represented at the University. Each converged at the exhibition square for The event ended with a cultural night in community was represented in their performance from various cultures. which various communities displayed their communities by engaging in song and Speaking during the opening ceremony, the talents, dances, culture and trending dance, showcasing their culture through Vice Chancellor thanked the culture week fashion. At the same time, students took food and outfits and engaging in fun and committee for putting in the hard work to time to remember fellow students who had games. The students also had a chance to ensure that the event was a success. He also passed on over the past year. The winning show and sample other communities’ culture applauded the students for representing performance was won by Kenyan while India and heritage. their respective cultures in a good way. took the second runners up position. Under the exhibition category, the top prize went to The three day event was fashioned to Professor Wangari Mwai, Associate DVC Uganda and South Sudan were crowned the maximize the experience of different cultures Students Affairs, Student Affairs took this first runners up. The research category was while maintaining authenticity of each opportunity remind students of the theme of won by students from the Tanzania culture. The students pitched exhibition this year’s culture week to which hinged on community while the team from the United booths to enable other students sample a the experiences of different cultures over Arab Emirates were the first runners up. taste of their culture and compare on time as they have evolved to modern UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA NEWSLETTER 2 - 8 MARCH 2019 USIU-Africa unveils a new website By Ernest Anguru and Ian Raititi On March 4, 2019 USIU-Africa launched its new website in a captivating event that was graced by the Vice Chancellor, the members of the management board, students and employees. The launch marked a huge step in the implementation of part of the University’s Strategic Plan which urges the University to increase visibility and enhance quality services to internal and external stakeholders. The new website has been designed to increase the university’s brand visibility as a global premier institution through robust internal and external communications. Photo: Dan Muchai The Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Zeleza launches the new website This website development was majorly focused on easy navigation and quick access to information by users especially Studies have shown that majority of internet The website has been developed in a very students, it solves several challenges that users in Kenya access information through dynamic way to suite needs that are unique faced the old website. Users should be able the mobile phone. It is for this reason the to us. This means that we can customize it at to access information they are looking for in website comes with an in-built web app for any point to meet our requirements and at least three clicks. The design of the easier accessibility on phone. Once you load standards example live video streaming of website is inspired by the needs of students the website you will be prompted to install events. as the main users and consumers of the web app as an icon on your screen, this information we share. For students who will will ensure easier accessibility at any given The entire university community is have challenges accessing information on time. The uniqueness of this web app is the encouraged to take ownership of the website admission, the website has the capability to ability to send push notification to users who and continuously take part in content collect information based on your prompts or have installed the application. We will now development through the various avenues selection and create a personalized brochure be assured of our messages reaching our that this new site brings forth. through the request information button. target audience. MBA alumna newest bank CEO By Dan Muchai Ms. Rebecca Mbithi (pictured) has been her LL.B degree from the University of appointed Chief Executive Officer of Family Nairobi’s School of Law. She went on to be Bank Limited, subject to approval by The admitted to the bar as an Advocate of the Central Bank of Kenya. High Court of Kenya and a member of the Law Society of Kenya. Ms. Mbithi who is currently the Company Secretary and Director, Legal Services at Ms. Mbithi is a Certified Public Accountant Family Bank, a position she has held for the and a member of the Institute of Certified last four years, where she has been Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), a instrumental in strategy and business Certified Secretary and a Member of the development, capital and debt raising, risk Institute of Certified Secretaries. management, compliance and controls, as well as providing legal services and She previously worked at Kenya Tea strengthening Family Bank’s governance Development Agencies (KTDA) and Rift structures. Valley Railways, where her extensive work experience includes leadership at director She received her MBA in strategic level specializing in law, project finance, Family Bank Incoming CEO, Rebecca Mbithi management from the Chandaria School of corporate restructuring, equity/ debt raising Photo: Courtesy Business in 2012, prior to which she earned and governance. 2 UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA NEWSLETTER 2 - 8 MARCH 2019 Alumnus pitches Konica Minolta challenge to students By Susan Muriuki Alumnus Mr. Archith Rao from Express Automation a local partner of Konica Minolta here in Kenya, held a workshop for a group of students from School of Science and Technology on February 27, at the Freida Brown Student Center. The purpose of the workshop was to introduce students from USIU-Africa to a nationwide university competition on reality augmentation. Augmented Reality is a type of technology where a computer generated image is overlaid on the real world’s environment, to produce an admixture view. This type of technology is useful in real life. Its applications range from medical training, designing and modelling, classroom teaching to mention but a few. The competition is set to run from 1 - 17 Photo: Susan Muriuki Mr. Archith Rao from Express Automation speaks to students during a workshop April, 2019 to be followed by a prize giving day. This competition will give students the opportunity to come up with innovative representatives from academia, business engagement activities, which is a key ideas on how augmented reality can be world and Konica Minolta at the National undertaking of the Alumni Relations applied by submitting a 6000 word essay on Championship, during which winners will be Department. Such engagement provide the topic, and the augmented reality product announced. avenues for alumni to serve their University they have produced. These submissions will and reinforce their ties to their alma mater. be judged by a jury composed of The workshop is part of the alumni School of Science and Technology organizes successful innovation and hackathon day Career Services office at Freida Brown Centre By Taigu Muchiri The Computing Department in the School of Participants were presented with an Science and Technology hosted the annual opportunity to showcase their innovations, innovation and hackathon day from 1-2 expose talented developers to potential March. The event was held at the Auditorium employers and source for seed money for and was envisioned as a bridge between their innovations. Among the innovations talent and industry, while exposing brilliant showcased include resource management ideas, innovations and exceptional skills in systems, online booking system for office the Kenyan tech Industry. It attracted space and accommodation and recreational participants from Africa Nazarene University, app for students. Dedan Kimathi University, KCA University, Moringa School, Multimedia University, The event pooled student developers in Strathmore University, and St. Paul’s teams of four, who spent the two days University. working on innovative software and 3 Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Prof. Njeri Wamae outlines her vision for the school UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA NEWSLETTER 2 - 8 MARCH 2019 hardware solutions to solve real-world challenge was gauging the students’ attempt that consists of different markets with problems, and in particular, problems to gain illegal entry into a system. The winner different products for sale. This app was to relating to Vision 2030 and the Big 4 Agenda. for the best innovation category was the give business people a wider variety to These projects include web development, seminar management system that was choose from when they visit their website, mobile applications, low-level hardware developed by USIU-Africa students Patel and purchase products that they can afford. (Arduinos, RaspberryPis etc.) and more. Bhavin and Ankit Chatbar. Other participants The second place was taken by Dedan in this category included a team from Dedan Kimathi University who developed I-Home, Such hackathons provide an avenue for Kimathi University showcasing online which will enable people find affordable and self-expression and creativity through booking for office space and Multimedia decent housing from their devices.