Alumni Fly Egerton University Flag High

There are several things that determine what makes a university capable of producing quality graduates. One is the quality of its programmes. Another is a highly qualified academic staff, as well as competent administrative, technical and support staff. A third one is the high quality andimpact of the research and extension work undertaken at the university. In all these three areas, Egerton University is well endowed.

What is less frequently spoken about, but is a major way to measure the potential for academic achievement in a university is the impact of its alumni at the national and the global stage. It is this aspect that has come into prominence in the past one year to demonstrate the value of Egerton University.

Egerton University Alumni have continued to fly the flag of the University high by virtue of their appointment to high-profile offices and various professional achievements.

Thus, through Alumni engagement activities, Egerton Alumni have supported various initiatives at the University, especially those that benefit students. A good example is Dr Roselyn Marandu-Kareithi, who graduated from Egerton University in 1992. She recently launched the JASIRI Talent In vestor Programme. This initiative represents a fully funded one-year fellowship that will guide participants to venture creation, starting from idea generation, to validation, prototyping, and market entry. As an Alumnus, she was keen to enlist Egerton University current and former students and gave them a chance to go through the rigorous interviews. The result is that they are now Jasiri Fellows. This is a commendable intervention.

Other Alumni have secured key appointments in government and the private sector, both locally and abroad.

In 2020, Mr William Amwayi, who is a Principal Quality Assurance Officer at the Kenya Bureau of Standards, became Secretary to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC) Presidents' Committee, where he offers technical support. Mr Amwayi graduated from Egerton University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Production in 2007.

In December 2020, Prof. Theophilus Mwendwa Mutui took over as the Managing Director of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS).Prof. Mutui graduated from Egerton University in 1992 with a Bachelor ofScience degree in Horticulture (First Class Honours).

Dr Fred Okoth Otieno was appointed the Deputy Director for Enforcement and Consumer Protection at the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya (EPRA) in February 2021. Dr Otieno holds a Bachelor of Educations(Arts) degree (2006) from Egerton University. He was also the first graduatefrom Egerton's Master of Arts Programme in Security Management in 2015.

In May 2021, Justice William Ouko was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya. Justice Ouko graduated from Egerton University in 2016 with a Master's degree in Criminology and Security 2016 with a Master's degree in Criminology and SecurityStudies.

Finally, we recognise one of our prospective graduands, Rachel Ngina, who has been making a mark as a volunteer in Turkana County where she has been training farmers on drip irrigation. While studying at Egerton University, she undertook internship in Israel on an exchange programme, and she has been using the skills she acquired to promote food sufficiency among the marginalised Turkana community of Kenya. Her volunteer work has been widely acclaimed in main stream and social media in Kenya and beyond. Through her efforts, farmers in the Lobur, Kibish,Lodwar, Maisa, Katangon, and Nariakotome parts of Turkana County have been fully equipped with skills in production of food for their needs from nursery establishment, land preparation, transplanting, pest control,harvesting, and post-harvest handling. Ms Ngina will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management degree.

These appointments and professional engagements by Egerton Alumni are a testimony that Egerton produces graduates who are top professionals.