The Adventist University of Central Africa, has conferred academic degrees to 621 students during its 28th undergraduate and 6th postgraduate graduation on 11 December 2022, held at its Masoro main campus. The university awarded 50 candidates a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Education, whereas the rest secured an undergraduate degree in different disciplines ranging from Business, IT, Education and Nursing and Theology. 50 per cent of the graduates were females. Outstanding performers from different faculties were awarded laptops and professional internships plus cash by different partner institutions like the Bank of Kigali, Urwego Bank, Goshen Finance, Rwanda Social Security Board, Orion Systems Ltd and AUCA alumni. Speaking to graduates, Vice Chancellor Prof. Kelvin Onongha said that they were glad to have their 28th graduation ceremony in person, post-pandemic, adding, “We are sending our students out there with 21st-century soft skills and abilities to excel in the global market and make a difference in the world.” He said that the university was designed to attract students from the region like it is embedded in the university’s name and vision, the latter being “to become an international center of academic learning with global impact”. AUCA now has students from 25 countries across Africa and Asia, and staff from nine nationalities from Africa, Asia, South and North Americas. This makes a total 32 nationalities for students and staff on its 3 campuses: Masoro, Gishushu and Ngoma Nursing campus. “This ceremony is a symbol that you’ve been qualified to serve, you have the status not only to serve but serve with diligence. So, act as the main community contributors and hold high all you’ve learnt here,” he told graduates. “Thanks to AUCA for teaching us how the smallest mustard seed grows to flourish with the biggest plant, we are the small seeds going out there to flourish,” said Joslain Ganza, a bachelor’s degree in accounting graduate, and representative of the undergraduate class of 2022. Ganza said that they were very grateful for the tireless work of the university staff to see them grow and prepare them for the job market while shaping their characters. Marvella Kameca, graduating with a Bachelor of Science’s degree in Networking and Communication Systems, and one of the best performers awarded, said that the quality of education is very high, and the competition is tight, adding that she felt assured of making it to the job market. She added that the university has highly prepared and equipped them with all that they need to thrive and make a difference in the world. Deborah Kemuma, the overall best performer of AUCA’s 28th Graduation, graduating with a Bachelor of Science’s degree in Nursing, said that the conducive academic environment contributed to her success. Among the graduates today were international students from 7 nationalities. The AUCA advantage Speaking to graduates today, Prof Onongha reminded them that “in many ways AUCA has prepared you to be able to go into this dark and uncertain future and to shine”. He emphasized that for this to happen, graduates will need commitment to the values, virtues, principles, and discipline which AUCA has sought to instill in them. He went on that committing to AUCA values, virtues, morals and principles enable students to excel in all of their endeavours, and that it’s what constitutes “the AUCA Advantage”. Being the first private university in Rwanda since 1984, AUCA is praised for its track record in quality education, and for producing competent graduates on the job market. It has for decades maintained its sterling reputation as a university of which graduates excel both academically, professionally, and spiritually. AUCA has recently added Project Management to its the MBA programme and introduced, in October 2022, the Master of Science in Big Data Analytics. The university also reveals that the MBA in taxation, economics and procurement are in the pipeline. AUCA also runs a state-of-the-art medical school, the Adventist School of Medicine of East-Central Africa, located at Masoro campus. The school is to train mission oriented and best doctors for the country and the region, as embedded in its motto “Teach – Preach -Heal”. Apart from Rwanda’s Higher Education Council, AUCA’s programmes are also accredited by the church’s international accrediting bodies (International Board of Education (IBE) and the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA). The accreditation exercise is conducted every four years to evaluate compliance with the standards of quality education. The colourful ceremony was attended by different dignitaries from the government, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, academicians, students and parents.
