Miriam Chenge
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| Ms. Nancy Gathungu |
Speaking at the 40th graduation ceremony on Friday, October 29, Ms. Gathungu a member of Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) noted that “Some (students) will be employed, some will go into business and others will get into other engagements.”
For those who are planning to get employed the chief guest said addressing students who were following the event online while others onsite, “Workplaces require all-round graduates: innovative, skillful, who can inspire others, work harmoniously with them, and require limited supervision.”
She added, “Create your own space and stand out. This is where life values that matter to society, as inculcated by this University, comes into great use.”
Ms. Gathungu who has served as director in various directorates at the office of the Auditor General in Kenya, highlighted that statistics show a steady increase in University enrolment both in public and private universities hence “It is how adaptive, creative, innovative and courageous you are that will give you an edge over others.”
“You can start your own businesses and eventually become the employers,” the Auditor General advices the students, and disclosed, “The government has made this possible through the creation of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund where young people can get access to credit facilities to run businesses.”
She continued, “The government has also established the Credit Guarantee Scheme to enable Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to access credit... take advantage of these opportunities to grow yourselves financially and ultimately contribute to economic growth.”
She further encouraged young people to exploit their talents in sports and leverage them as careers in their quest to find their God-given purpose.
Emphasizing how the outgoing students from CUEA can overcome challenges and realize their dreams, the Auditor General also challenged the Graduands to get out of their comfort zones and not be afraid to dream big or to start small saying, “Try out new things and do not shy away from taking risks.”
“How you react to the challenges you will face will define your character, your resilience and your success,” the chief guest highlighted during the graduation ceremony adding, “Achieving your dreams, you must sacrifice your time and sometimes the things you love most. Sometimes even the people who can derail you may have to be put aside.”
“The values and character are your prized assets. Wherever you go, be it in a workplace, or business you may have divergent opinions that may not be popular, but as long as your conscience is clear, then you are treading on the right path. Therefore, honesty, reliability and trustworthiness are key pillars that will be your guiding principles in the various phases of life’s journey,” she said and emphasized on having the right attitude, humility, commitment and readiness to learn from others discipline.