THE LINK 2015
Kenyatta University
Issue 1 /
2015
Reinventing
The Link
V AUN EI
T R
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A SI
Y TY
N E K
N NI G
U U
M V
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L E
The
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Reinveting the Link 4
Alumni Awards 6
Ku Alumni Top Comedians
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Ku Alumni & Friends Association
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Focus On Careers & Business
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HELP US US UPDATE YOUR PROFILE
We would like to keep you updated of our progress with planning for reunions, speaker series,
networking events, and fun activities planned across the year. Please ensure we have your correct
email addresses.
TO BECOME A MEMBER
1. Go to http://www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/ and hover mouse on Become a Member. A drop down menu
appears.
2. Click on Online Registration and fill in to become a KU Alumni Member
TO REGISTER FOR KU-ALUMNI CARD:
1. Go to http://www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/ and hover mouse on Alumni Card. A drop down menu
appears.
2. Click on Online Alumni Card Registration
TO GET THE LATEST COPY OF THE LINK MAGAZINE:
1. Go to http://www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/ and click on ALUMNI ONLINE NEWSLETTER on the Top Right
side of the homepage.
2. To provide feedback, click on ONLINE FEEDBACK
TO PARTICIPATE IN FUNDRAISING TO AID CONSTRUCTION OF THE ALUMNI CENTRE
1. Go to http://www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/alumni-complex and find out the value of your participation
and how to make your contribution
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALUMNI PROGRAMMES DIRECTORATE
1. Go to www.ku.ac.ke/alumni/ and hover mouse on About Us.
There is no cost of registering on our website or for receiving email copies Tof our newsletter and
bulletins.
COME BACK AND GIVE A CHEER … IN STYLE!
KU apparel and souvenirs are ready and waiting for you at the KU Bookshop which affords you the
convenience of shopping with Visa. These are not only wonderful mementoes, but also a great way
to support your alma mater. T-shirts • Ball caps • Shopping bags • Journal and pen • Umbrellas •
Mugs • School pins available, plus more to come. An online catalogue can be provided upon request.
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I’m greatly honored to have been entrusted with the responsibility of serving as Director of Alumni Programmes. Coming in at this time is made easier by the groundwork laid by my predecessors. Dr. Wambui Wamburu, the outgoing Director, and whom, I suppose, you are familiar with, leaves behind, a steadily growing association. I must thank her for her commitment and for tirelessly exerting herself as she steered this association.
Building on the work that has already been done by my predecessors, I wish to see a very vibrant alumni community that connects all former KU graduates wherever they are and whatever are doing. There are still many alumni out there who have not joined the association; I urge you all join us in building this union. We are all part of this great University that continues to grow phenomenally and which has developed into an enviable institution.
Our Alumni Association has a lot of potential. Together, we need to develop it into a platform of mutual benefit for the tens of thousands of former KU students in Kenya and in the
Diaspora. Let us maintain connections to our university and fellow graduates. As we enjoy the fantastic memories of KU, I hope that the new common experiences that we will share will propel us and KU to great heights.
Whereas a lot still needs to be done, I am emboldened by the thought that we are all in this together. The success of this association depends entirely on the contributions of all members. The members who have joined so far have been amazing. Talking to a few in the recent past, I’ve heard the passion, pride and optimism for the future. I’ve also heard, however, some disappointment that we have not moved as fast as we should.
We can make this a dream home for alumni, and a place to win friendship. I hope that we can make a difference – I know that we can. The candle has been lit, let us keep it burning. I look forward to devoting myself to moving the KU Alumni Association and the University forward.
Greetings Alumni,
THE LINK 2015
Reinventing
Reinventing
The Link
The Link
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Dear followers,
I
n the recent past, the link magazine has served as a wonderful connection to news update about your alma mater. It has been a point of reference to many about the ongoing projects the university has undertaken. Right from the launch of the Post Modern Building, the launch of the Central Administration Complex, to the ground breaking of Kenyatta University Hospital, the link has been undoubtedly dedicated to serve the alumni community, both locally and abroad with updates on growth of Kenyatta University.As a pioneer initiative aimed at enriching the Alumni Community with information about events related to them, time has come for a new phase of the magazine. Here is how we are going to do it.
A PEEK AT THE MAGAZINE’S PERSONALITY
What comes to mind when you think about the “link”? A link is ideally a relationship between two things or situations, especially where one thing affects the other. In this context, the link magazine not only symbolizes
a connection between Alumni community and the Alma mater, but a connection between fellow alumni.
Understanding this informs our next set of steps towards re-inventing the Link Magazine.
EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY, EFFICIENCY
We now live in a digital era where life revolves around phones, tablets, and PCs. As such, we are moving to digital editions that are multi device responsive. This means irrespective of the device you have, the link will shrink to fit in your screen for a great reading experience.
FEATURE ON ALUMNI (ALUMNI OF THE DAY,
MONTH, YEAR)
But would you have to wait until the next issue of the link came out for you to catch up on the trending Alumni news? With your contribution, we intend to launch a weblog featuring members of the alumni community contributing to the achievement of Vision 2030. Young and old alike, we intend to tell the stories of the brave and courageous Alumni of Kenyatta University, who in their careers, businesses or social work create an impact on the day to day basis. But this is not going to be possible without your support.
Young Alumni Inspiration Posts
To be where you are, it must have taken the grace of God and hard work. Sadly, experience cannot be borrowed but only shared. Would you have turned out better if you had someone more experienced than you hold your hand and mentor you on life choices? We believe the answer is yes. Motivation is key to success whether in careers, businesses or personal life. As such, we call unto you to offer guidance and mentorship to young alumni readers who are merely setting off in life.
Showcase your business
As an alumni community, we have a great resource at our disposal, yet only a few have reaped from it. It called the NETWORK. Within the network lies chief executive officers of your next job, the next property customer for your real estate venture, the ideal banker for your future discounted loans, your preferred choice of business partner for your next investment among others. With a network of 60,000
graduates from Kenyatta University, the opportunities are endless. We all need to harness that immense power of networking. We are committed to this cause; As such, we call on you to link up with us on [email protected] and showcase your professional skills, businesses, and ideas to the Link community so that others interested in your field can connect with you.
LinkedIn Network
As part of our ongoing efforts to facilitate networking amongst Kenyatta University connections on LinkedIn, we encourage every graduate of Kenyatta University to list Kenyatta University as part of his Education Profile. This will automatically link you up with Kenyatta University’s LinkedIn Page and allow you access to over 24,000+ Alumni already linked up. This is simply another way for you to search, follow and connect with your classmates.
Letter to the Editor: Suggestions, Ideas,
Forums, Opinions
As we embrace technology, we challenge you to engage with us as we journey towards establishing a robust alumni community. Kindly write to us on [email protected] with suggestions and ideas you feel will add value to you been a member of the Alumni Community.
We would love to publish great articles about the current economic, political, and social cultural situations coupled with your reflections about the past and hopes for the future.
To do so, kindly submit articles through [email protected] to get started on our next issue.
F
ounder and Patron of Joyful Women Organization JOYWOis a Kenyan registered non-governmental organization (NGO) formed to empower Kenyan women economically and enhance house-hold food security among them through supporting their
involvement in livelihood projects. JOYWO’s
flagship projects have been providing financial resources to women to engage in livelihood projects through a scheme known as TABLE BANKING.
This continues to be one of its core strategic interventions as it also addresses other key issues viz a viz; access to markets for livelihood projects, enhancing growth of women’s small scale investments and finally strengthening identification and incubation of diverse livelihood projects. Four years since its establishment,
Joyful Women Organization has grown
steadily to support the welfare of women countrywide in the
f i g h t
against poverty. This intervention scope
sets JOYWO on the path of realization of its
mission.
4.1.1 Strategic Intervention Areas. strengthening livelihood projects. Enhancing access to financial resources.
strengthening market access. supporting investment growth. Enhancing capacity of JOYWO.
About JOYWO
It started with 17 women groups having a Total Revolving Fund (TRF) of kshs.60,
000. Then, Joyful women organization had
set it base in Eldoret North (Uasin Gishu
County). When JOYWO saw the successes
of table banking, it spread the concept to other parts of Uasin Gishu County.
The organization (JOYWO) has since
spread to other counties, thanks to the t a b l e b a n k i n g
concept that allows members to save and access loans. Currently we have spread to Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Bomet, Narok, Kajiado, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya, Kisii, Nyamira, Nairobi, Embu, Meru, Muranga, Taita Taveta, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Busia, Turkana, Tharaka Nithi, Mombasa, West Pokot, Machakos, Baringo, Nakuru, Isiolo, Nyandarua, Bungoma, Kakamega counties. Our Goal is to reach all the 47 counties in the republic of Kenya.
The group’s funds have also increased significantly over the four years to a Total revolving fund of Kshs 1,004,192,240.00. This money has mainly grown from the increase in the number of groups. The interest gained from the loans remains with the group and is eventually shared as bonus and dividends. The women use the money borrowed as capital for their livelihood projects.
Currently JOYWO has a total of 9,431
groups with a membership of 140,788 The organization’s founder, Her Excellency, Mrs. Rachel Ruto came up with the idea to help women in her rural home access money to start businesses and by recognizing the interests of women in rural areas, the group has helped its members grow their ventures into large-scale investments and access markets through table banking. http://www.joywo.org/
Photo here:
FOCUS ON DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
T
he Distinguished Alumni Award of Kenyatta University is bestowed upon alumni who have distinguished themselves
nationally or internationally for their excellent and sustained contribution and achievements in public and community
service.
H.E MRS RAEL RUTO - CLASS OF 1991
A
ssociate professor of Management and currently serves as the chairperson of public service commission, Chief Editor of the refereed “African Journal of Public Administration and Management’. She has received several accolades such as the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) and first class order of Chief of Burning Spear (CBS) for her contributions to national development. Internationally feted with the Commonwealth Gordon Draper Award and honored by the American Biographical institute for her strong leadership and outstanding contributions in improving public administration.About Professor, Dr. Margaret
Kobia
Dr Margaret Kobia graduated in 1989, Margaret was awarded a government scholarship to study for a master of education degree in teacher education at Kenyatta University. She graduated in 1991 and took up a job as senior lecture in a science teacher’s training college. In 1996, she joined Kenyatta University as senior administrator (director, student welfare services) as well as a part time lecturer in education in the school of education and human resource development.
With a leadership grant from the general board global ministries, Margaret started her doctoral
studies in June 2000
at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, U.S.A completing in 2003. Her dissertation focused on factors that influence transfer of management training
in small and medium enterprises in Kenya.
While pursuing her PhD qualification,
she felt the need to excel in teaching and research and joined Strathmore University in august 2004 as a senior lecturer, school of administration and management.
She has undertaken several research work in education and management fields. She is also a member of the professional academic bodies and participates actively in community development activities.
PROF. MARGARET KOBIA, OGW, CBS - CLASS OF 1991
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Vice-Chancellor presenting Distinguished Alumni Award to H.E. Rael Ruto during the reunion as Dr. Wambui Wamburu, former Director, looks on
JOYWO officials after meeting with His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta
Vice-Chancellor sharing a light moment with Dr. Margaret Kobia and Dr. Wambui Wamburu
THE LINK 2015
In a nutshell
Kinyanjui Kombani, AKA, ‘The Banker who writes’, may not be a stranger to you. After all, he is a Kenyatta University Young Alumni Awardee and a constant feature at Kenyatta University events. He is also a Project advisor to the Kenyatta University Alumni Card project.
The KU Alumna, who graduated in 2004 with a B.Ed (English and Literature), is a creative writer, banker, learning facilitator, award winning entrepreneur and business mentor based in Nairobi.
How has he managed to achieve
all this?
“I credit Kenyatta University for giving me the best foundation for excellence,” he says. “When I joined KU, I did not have any ambitions in life. It was when I joined the KU Travelling Theatre that I started taking life seriously!”
Kinyanjui is mostly known for his critically acclaimed novel, ‘The Last Villains of Molo’, based on ethnic instigated clashes in Molo, which has been a study
text at undergraduate level in universities in Kenya & Germany. It has also been mentioned in postgraduate work at Harvard (USA) and University of Sussex (UK). The book was written in 2002 while Kinyanjui was studying Creative Writing under the pupilage of renowned lecturer and writer David Mulwa.
He has also penned children’s books ‘Wangari Maathai: Mother of Trees’, ‘We Can Be Friends’ (approved by Kenya’s Institute of Education for use in Kenyan schools), and ‘Lost But Found’. His new
novel ‘Den of Iniquities’ is already a
bestseller. He is also involved in many literary activities in the country, including the Storymoja Festival, Kwani Litfest, Authors Buffet and Creatives Academy.
In 2003, while the Executive Director of KU Travelling Theatre, Kinyanjui penned a play, ‘Carcasses’, for Born Free Foundation’s Bush Meat Trade Awareness project. The play was performed to audiences all over the country and later shot to film. ‘Mizoga’ has been screened in Africa, Europe and the USA and has been shown to over 60,000 rural Kenyans.
Professional Life
Kinyanjui is a learning facilitator with Standard Chartered Bank. He is also a co-director of Old Gold Solutions, a company that supplies plastic ID cards for schools and colleges. He is a Certified Business Mentor and a board member of the Professional Business Mentors Association of Kenya.
Aside from business, he takes time for social work. He is the Kenyan representative to Altrusa International, an international service organization specializing in community needs as well as literacy, the environment and AIDS/ HIV. Over the last 6 years, Kinyanjui has been involved in a project to raise the educational standards of his alma mater, Molo Academy. Every year, under the banner ‘Friends of Molo Academy’. He organizes the Top Performers Luncheon at a 5 Star hotel.
How does he juggle all this,
together with raising a young
family?
“The KU community teaches you to multitask,” he says. “At some point in my
KINYANJUI KOMBANI - THE BANKER WHO WRITES’
FOCUS ON OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI
T
he outstanding young alumni award recognizes the achievements and contributions of young alumni aged 35 and
below who have distinguished themselves nationally and internationally for their excellent and sustained contributions
and achievements in their chosen fields.
Kenyatta University / The Link
Mr. Steve Machage is the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary General, East African Community Secretariat (EAC).
Mr. Machage received his MBA, Information Technology Management, from Coventry University, UK, M.Ed., Administration and policy, from University of Pittsburgh, USA BA, Sociology,
Geography, and Political Science/History, Kenyatta University. He also holds a Dip. Public Relations (Institute of Commercial Management), and is an alumnus of the Kennedy School of Executive Education (Harvard University).
His previous assignment before taking up the post of Chief of Staff was Public
Relations Officer at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Mr. Machage is also an Accredited Practitioner Chattered institute of Public Relations, UK.
He is married with two sons. Twitter: @stemachage
campus life, I was juggling between social life, leading the travelling theatre (which involved productions as well as admin work, and at the same time excelling in classwork. With this kind of upbringing, you have no option but to be a master of many trades!”
Kombani’s
books
•The Last Villains of Molo
Told against the background of the 1991 so called tribal clashes in Molo, the story examines the role of children in the conflict. It shows the predicament of the youth, who were only children then but
who are now adults with questions in their
mind, and anger in their hearts. ‘The Last Villains of Molo’ has been widely praised as a ‘prophetic masterpiece’.
•Den of Inequities
‘Den of Inequities’ was launched by Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and Justice Isaac Lenaola in Nairobi in
April 2014. It has been well received by the public, with positive reviews by media houses and bloggers.
•Lost but Found
The colourfully illustrated, ‘Lost But Found’ is one of Longhorn Publishers’ Little Birds ECDE Life Skills storybooks specially written to help children relate with strangers cautiously.
•We Can Be friends
Set in a children’s orphanage in Uganda, ‘We can be Friends’ is the story of four young children, and their attempts at understanding the HIV/AIDS monster. ‘We Can Be Friends’ is also available for the Rwanda market. The Rwanda edition was released in 2010.
•Wangari Maathai: Mother of
Trees
This is an enchanting story of three children who find themselves in the Land of Trees, where they meet Mama Miti (Nobel Prize Winner Wangari Maathai). Told in an entertaining way to appeal to young readers, the story is a must read for conservation enthusiasts. Contact: www. kinyanjuikombani.com
STEVE MACHAGE -
CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL,
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT (EAC).
FOCUS ON EXEMPLARY ALUMNI
T
he Exemplary Alumni Award of Kenyatta University is given to those individuals who have constantly demonstrated
extraordinary commitment, dedication and services to the advancement of their chosen fields and to the advancement
of Kenyatta University
A
s the two young and energetic men approached my office, you could almost tell who it was even without looking. For a reason, something must have amused them as they approached the main door.It was clear from the minute they walked in, this was going to be an encounter unlike any. Two of the finest comedians stopped by for an interview that had been long planned and anticipated.
David Ndirangu, the quitter, more conservative version of his comedy mate, followed quietly as Eutycus Mwangi made his way to the one hour long interview.
Pleasantries over and done with, we set to the task at hand. Immediately, it was clear, there was going to be more laughing than talking and so I let my recorder do the silent work of taking down notes.
The next hour would be critical as we dwelt deeper into the lives of the finest KU comedians’ right from their childhood.
David Ndirangu
David Ndirangu was the first to go with a tale of his very act as a child, an amusing tale that brought us all into tears. He remembers his first act, over 20 years during a prize giving ceremony, as if a minute just went by.
“After rehearsing long and hard for a skit we were all set to present to our parents. I acted as the main character, the father of the household but when we started, I must have chickened out and sought for permission to use the lavatories. I never went back on that stage.” After a few minutes a search party was dispatched but I was nowhere to be seen.” Recalls David.
He soon joined Kiambu primary school and went on to join the Kiambu P.C.E.A church. “I became active in festivals organized by the church. I recited memory verses, poems, solo verses, acted as main character in plays. I joined Kiambu High School with a great number of certificates from my active participation in church.”
He remembers his form two
performances quite vividly. David says,
“We performed a choral verse that went on to win in the national level competitions, but that was not the highlight of the event.”
While performing the said piece, David wrote his first ever solo verse that would be later included as an interlude in the performance and later on presented separately by his senior class to the provincial level. He would soon fall in love with spoken word after watching a performance with a renowned spoken word artist, Imani.
He is quick to add that “music and
drama clubs” were not the only clubs he had joined. “Provided the clubs went for ‘Funkies’, I had to be there.” Immediately after high school, he went back to his church to teach what he had learnt in high school for two years.
Campus life came with its highlights. My first ever participation in events was in the culture week ceremonies. After auditioning, he emerged with top marks and went on to thrill the crowd with his unrivalled spoken word.
Telling a tale on how our culture was becoming eroded, David remembers wondering why the crowd would burst into laughter on such a serious topic. “I thought to myself, if by speaking about something serious, people would laugh, what if I wrote a funny script?”
His university life would soon be filled with numerous opportunities to showcase and refine his spoken word. He has performed on almost all ceremonies organized by the university as part of the entertainment group. He remembers instances when other renowned comedians would come backstage to him for a refill of jokes.
“Patience, hard work and time management are essential to make it through life” David concludes.
Eutycus Ndiga
Mwangi
Born in remote areas of Nyeri County, in a district called Chinga, a young boy rose, nicknamed Euty the Untrained teacher rose to become Kenyatta University’s finest standup comedian. What started as a class 4 act back in Gathanji Primary school soon became the realization of the humorous journey through education, entertainment and presidential audiences.
A bright young boy would soon prove himself in class 4 through 8 at the River road primary school where his music prowess came to birth.
“It is only fair to say that I began seeing the president at a very tender age”, he jokes, commemorating on the numerous trips his group made to Statehouse as either as part of a folk song or soloist performance.
Born in a family of three, Eutycus followed well into his brothers footsteps. Gachoka senior would move the audience with his prowess in playing percussion bands and only after completing primary
school did Gachoka Junior (Euty) discover
he had it in him to play instruments as well. Eutycus went on to join Othaya Boys High school and immediately became a sensational in the music club of the school. In form two, he made solo performances in zonal and provincial levels. His rising fame was not without opposition.
After working tirelessly to prep his team, he would eventually have to watch in the shadows as others took on stage with his masterpiece to a detrimental loss at zonal and district levels.
Finally he came of age in form three and was out rightly elected as the chairman of the music club, a role he went on to hold till his exit after form four. By now, his village would joke about a certain celebrity soloist they knew.
Always a cheeky boy, Eutycus remembers his “funkie” days so fondly.
KU ALUMNI TOP COMEDIANS
One such memory is how he would be inall clubs and movements in the school provided they made regular trips to a girl’s school. Typical, right? “I was even in CU and CA simultaneously. Whenever one would plan a trip to a ladies school, I would simply present a folk song and Voila!” Says an elated Euty.
He recalls an incident in a girl’s high school on one of the many random “funkies”. We were sitted in a hall full of students on a rather sunny afternoon. The headmaster then orders everyone to do away with their sweaters. Luckily or unluckily, my shirt was not in a wearable condition (dirty) that morning and so I choose to be a little clever in my dressing. I would wear a sweater on top of a button less shirt with tattered sleeves and hem. As long as the sweater and the tie were in place, it was perfect disguise.” he chuckles. “Have you ever wished for the world to open and swallow you whole?”
By now, I was running out of ink as my pen scribbled away the juicy narratives that befell the otherwise calm Wednesday afternoon.
High school is done and over with, what next? I ask. “Grazing. He says with a finality,” so I press on. What do you mean? , I grazed my dad’s cattle while I awaited joining University. He says he took to
reading magazines and at some point, writing. His first play was later performed by P.C.E.A Gathanji church school up to the regional level.
“I think it was only when took to the stage to introduce my brother, who was imitating the Retired President Kibaki in a prize giving day that I realized I was funny.” He believes, however, that it must have been the Christmas and New Year’s play that validated his comical nature.
How did you come to join Kenyatta University?
My mum suggested that I take up a course in theatre arts while my dad was inclined more to economics. After a talk with Dr. Mugumbi, Chairman of Theatre arts departments, he was motivated to follow a path of his choosing and as such signed up for a degree in Theatre Arts and Film Technology at Kenyatta University. This was to see him join KUTT with the least marks and later to thrive through university life performing comedy with David. It took patience as they helped former comedians in scripting down jokes. It was not always fun to watch as others performed their art and not deliver it in the way they intended it to come out.
To date, they have become renowned as the favorite comedians to look forward
to in any function organized by Kenyatta University.
Highlights in the careers of
KU top comedians
a. Performed in over 44 events,
b. Entertained Former president Mwai Kibaki
c. They have entertained the Head of state, His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania.
d. Entertained over 50 cabinet secretaries, senators and prominent business leaders
e. Performed for General (Dr.) Julius W Karangi ‘EGH’ ‘CBS’ ‘DCO’ ‘ndc’ ‘psc’(K) – Chief of the Defense Forces
Patience, hard work and determination for the top comedians have been the ultimate driving force. The university recognized this and awarded them a master’s scholarship to pursue their course of choice.
What next? A lot, a lot more…
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Eutycus Mwangi and David Ndirangu entertaining His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Official Opening of the KUpg
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THE LINK 2015
1. Personal branding
Have you Googled yourself recently? If you do, and you have a LinkedIn profile, it will usually come up as one of the first results in the search. Therefore putting relevant career information on your LinkedIn profile means that you can control what other people see about you. It’s the source that most interests recruiters and business people and is probably the easiest way to give a good first impression online. But of course, only if your profile is 100 % complete: those profiles with little or no information, no photo, no activity and few connections are of little value. Focus on filling in all the possible information relevant for your career.
2. Updated backup of
your resume
How many times have you been approached by a recruiter, potential client or company, asking you to send them your updated resume urgently because they have a project that could be of interest to you? And then you have tried to search for the latest version of your CV, without success, and had to write everything from the start in a terrible hurry? LinkedIn is extremely useful for storing and sharing your professional experience. Your resume is online wherever and whenever you need it - and it’s easy to keep up-to-date.
3. Managing and growing your
professional network
After leaving a company, you may still like to keep in touch with your ex-colleagues in the future but the idea of adding them as Facebook friends does not feel comfortable. Nor do you feel like going for a drink with them. In this case LinkedIn is everything you need. As its primary purpose is to serve as a professional
network, no one thinks it’s weird to add a person you worked with ten years ago, even if you haven’t had any contact with them since then. It also enables you to get to know new people in a professional way. By asking to be introduced, you can access more people and companies through your 1st level connections. The more connections you have, the bigger group of people you can reach.
4. Building an expert status
Do you know a lot about your niche, but never had a chance to let the world know? LinkedIn is the opportunity you have been waiting for. One of its main purposes is to facilitate the sharing of knowledge. You can easily build your expert status by posting content and participating in discussions in relevant groups with other people interested in your area of expertise. In the Answers section, you can askquestions and give advice to others in your
knowledge area. To further boost your leadership status, you can create your own group in your niche or start a networking event. And the best part? Everyone is interested in what you’re saying. Over time, as they start to recognize your name, you will see an increase in professional opportunities.
5. Spying on others
It’s not embarrassing to admit that you are a bit nosy
about what’s going on with your ex-boss
“W
hy should I sign in to LinkedIn?” With a whopping 120 million members and more joining every day, it definitely holds the position as a leading professional social network worldwide.Simply put, LinkedIn is a must for your professional future, whether you are a job seeker, happily employed, an entrepreneur or a consultant. By not joining, you are letting potential professional opportunities pass you by every day.
After reading the following 12 fundamental reasons for joining, I hope that every non-member out there will give it a second thought.
or how the company your friend works for is doing. However in addition to satisfying your curiosity, LinkedIn is extremely useful for finding information for business purposes such as background information about the prospective company before your interview, work experience of the recruiter you are going to meet, countries in which the decision maker of the potential client company used to live before and hundreds of other details which make your life easier. As you can access others’ profiles easily, even if you are not connected with them, there’s a vast amount of valuable information at hand for free.
6. Getting yourself headhunted.
The main purpose of LinkedIn is to bring you more opportunities: new career possibilities, new clients and new business ideas. After building a complete professional profile, developing and growing your network and becoming an expert in your niche, add a final touch and ask for recommendations. You can ask for them both from colleagues and from clients and select the ones you want to show in your profile. Recommendations make you credible and more interesting: if there are two candidates or potentialpartners with similar qualifications but the
other one has been recommended publicly, it’s obvious which one gets selected.
Here is a recap of the top points: 1. Personal Branding
2. Online Backup of your resume
3. Managing and growing your professional network
4. Building an expert status 5. Spying on others
6. Getting yourself headhunted
When Expertise requests and Career
opportunities begin to arrive to your inbox, you know that your efforts have started to bear fruit. To create a profile, go to http:// www.linkedin.com/. After it’s done, you are most welcome to add Kenyatta University to your network! Parts of this article were adapted from talentsearchpeople.com.
LinkedIn Facts and figures and what they mean as analyzed on forbes.com:
1. LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 332 million members in over 200 countries and territories.
2. Professionals are signing up to join LinkedIn at a rate of more than two new members per second.
3. In Q3 2014, 75% of new members came to LinkedIn from outside the United States. 4. There are over 39 million students and recent college graduates on LinkedIn. They are LinkedIn’s fastest-growing demographic.
5. LinkedIn counts executives from all 2013 Fortune 500 companies as members; its corporate talent solutions are used by 92 of the Fortune 100 companies.
6. More than 4 million companies have LinkedIn Company Pages including Kenyatta University.
7. In the third quarter of 2014, mobile accounted for 47 percent of unique visiting
members to LinkedIn.
8. 41% of people now report 500+ connections, up from 30% in 2013.
9. A full 15% now have more than 1,000 connections, which is nearly double last year’s result of only 8%.
10. Forty eight percent of respondents were spending more than two hours a week on LinkedIn last year. This year the number rose a full 10%. – According to Linkedin
Expert, Wayne Breitbarth on an interview with Forbes.Com, “I doubt folks will spend more time on LinkedIn because they have nothing better to do,” he remarks. “I believe it means the time is probably paying off for more people, and thus they are willing to spend more time on the site every week.” In fact the percentage of people spending 7 or more hours a week on LinkedIn rose from 11% to 18%
11. Posting individual status updates as a favorite feature rose 10% to 39%. This is the best marketing feature on LinkedIn where the user gets to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions through updates.
12. Company page usage jumped from 24% to 57%. “It is crazy to not create and use a LinkedIn company page,” Breitbarth maintains, particularly since Google generally reports LinkedIn company pages within the top 1-2 pages of results.
Here is how LinkedIn is beneficial to you as shared by Stanley Gitau of Mazuri Kenya describes his experience with LinkedIn.
“My LinkedIn profile has been printed out and used during an interview instead of the company looking at my resume. I have made so many connections and learned so much about various industry trends via LinkedIn Groups. The introduction feature helped me get connected to various people. Via the company pages, I was able to figure out who would be interviewing me and was able to relate my background to their published LinkedIn background. In a world where cutthroat competition means survival, standing out is not a choice but a mode of survival. Even in my current position, I keep on updating projects I’m working on just so as to remain relevant, and it pays, 96% of the time. ”
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JOIN
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI
ON LINKEDIN
JOIN KENYATTA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
PAGE
ON FACEBOOK
JOIN KENYATTA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
1. Go to linkedin.com, add your relevant personal information, and click “join LinkedIn.
2. Create your profile. Your profile is the condensed picture of how the professional world sees you.
3. Confirm the email account you used to create your profile via the link provided.
4. Add your connections. Connections are professional contacts whom you know or wish to know. The connections you add on LinkedIn become part of your social network.
5. Continue to build your profile. Enter your previous employment details and your education information. E.g. List Kenyatta University as part of your education history and become automatically added to list of Alumni
6. Add skills and endorsements Including specific skills or specialties, such as accountant, lecturer or public relations officer, allows other users can find you more easily.
7. Add your website or your company’s website and your Twitter or phone contact. - The more ways there are for people to find you, and access information about you, the more valuable your LinkedIn profile will be
8. Invite connections suggested by LinkedIn based on your employment and education listings.
9. Ask for recommendations
11. Maintain and update your profile on a regular basis. This is your most visible professional profile. It will usually rank at the top of search engine searches for your name.
12. Stay in contact with your
connections. Respond to their updates by sending them notes of congratulations on a new position or achievement.
13. As soon as you update your LinkedIn profile an include Kenyatta University as part of education, you become part of the growing Alumni database that can be of help to you as shown below.
10. Join and participate in LinkedIn
groups. – You can increase your network and your visibility by starting and contributing to discussions. Local groups will inform you of networking activities and events. Such as Kenyatta University Alumni and Friends group.
Enables you to know which employers hire Kenyatta University graduates, which areas are preferred, among other great insights.
You get to keep tabs of Alumni from your class who are excelling in respective fields and more so connect with them at various points of needs.
The search and connect functionality helps you connect with Alumni you shared classes with in yester years by selecting the year they graduated or attended Kenyatta University. This can be a great tool especially when looking for assistance in projects, raising funds, organizing events among others. More so, the Kenyatta University LinkedIn Page allows
you access to the following information about other alumni:
1. Where they live 2. Where they work 3. What they do 4. What they studied 5. What they’re skilled at 6. And How you’re connected to them
I don’t want to spoil the fun of finding out for yourself how great our professional network is. Be connected today.
(Images used for here are adapted from (Wiki How, 2014) and are solely used for demonstration purposes. We encourage you to visit Wiki How and find out more about using LinkedIn as your preferred LinkedIn tool)
THE LINK 2015
FOCUS ON CAREERS & BUSINESS:
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Warren Edward Buffett, an American business magnate, investor and philanthropist. - Valued at 72.2 billion USD (2015)
H
ave you invested or thought of investing in Kenya? As 2014 culminates, many will have stood by and watched as others reigned in the financial markets, building and construction, transport among other strategic investment opportunities that2014 presented. The big question is this,
which side are you on?
In this column, we feature ten investment opportunities that marks 2014/15 as prepared by Kenya Investment Authority and as seen on Daily Nation.
But before that, here is some basic principles of investing from world’s biggest investor, Warren Buffett.
Investing is not for the faint hearted, neither is it prescribed for the high IQ individuals. Warren Edward Buffet (84 years), an American business magnate, investor and philanthropist, sees investing as an all-day task for the common able
man or woman. Buffett is undoubtedly the most successful investor in history. His investment philosophy is no secret. He has repeatedly shared bits and pieces through
a lifetime of quips and memorable quotes.
In putting together this column, we complied a few life lessons to refer back to from Buffett’s interview appearances on Tv, magazine write ups and interpretation in books by Chris Mayer and Benn Galanger.
Know the basic principles of
investing
“To invest successfully, you need not understand beta, efficient markets, modern portfolio theory, and option pricing or emerging markets. You may, in fact, be better off knowing nothing of these. That, of course, is not the prevailing view at most business schools, whose finance curriculum tends to be dominated
by such subjects. In our view, though, investment students need only two well-taught courses - How to Value a Business, and How to Think About Market Prices.” Source: Berkshire Hathaway Chairman’s letter, 1996
Principles to note:
YOU NEED NOT BE A GENIUS
TO INVEST WELL
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ.” Source. Msnbc.msn
Albert is renowned for his advances in science and thought. Whereas he never featured in the list of wealthy men, but he had a solid principle that applies to today’s investment decisions.
“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the
first 55 minutes determining the proper
question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less
than five minutes.” Albert Einstein
INVESTING IS NOT LIKE
FASHION. UNFORTUNATELY,
MANY DON’T THINK TWICE
BEFORE BUYING STOCK, THEY
JUST FOLLOW THE TREND.
Fashion comes and goes. “Fashion-hitting never has been successfully maintained, to my knowledge.” Says Warren
A true contrarian investor maybe needs to do their own research and have their own opinions in order to be at the vanguard, the leading edge. Buffett’s
most famous quote, “be fearful when
others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful” has made this philanthropic billionaire unmatched for the length of years in business. A contrarian investor is one who is bale to look for companies that few others think are worth buying.
What’s required is thinking rather than
crowd following. “It is important to note that no successful contrarian investors are just contrary, there is always a logic and a strategy behind their contrary view.” Source: Oliver Haill on Investment lessons.
DON’T BUY A STOCK JUST
BECAUSE EVERYONE HATES IT
A contrarian approach does not mean that a business or stock is a wise purchase simply because it is not popular among investors. Buffett cautions against the contrarian approach by saying, “a contrarian approach is just as foolish as a follow-the-crowd strategy.”
(Gallander, 2003) Author of ‘the contrarian investor’s thirteen how to earn superior returns in the stock market’ argues against the speed of trend adoption which he rightly describes as the “actions of one’s peers and the call of excited brokers to BUY! BUY! BUY! Or SELL! SELL!
SELL! Which most often than not gives rise to an overreaction.
“When prospective opportunities arise, analyze them carefully. Think them through to boil them down to their most basic parts, talk them over with knowledgeable people, and then decide whether to jump or forgo. Remember than old maxim, ‘Haste makes waste’. New investment opportunities are as assured as the morning sunrise - one knows that both will be back.” Concludes Benn Galanger.
BAD THINGS AREN’T OBVIOUS
WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD.
“After all, you only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” Warren Buffet Letters to shareholders, 2001
What you have today may become what you had by tomorrow. You never know. Things change, often spontaneously. People and circumstances come and go. Life doesn’t stop for anybody, much less an investor. You have got to be alert and in sync with the change because, however good or bad a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing you can count on.
YOU CAN’T WORRY TOO
MUCH ABOUT SHORT-TERM
PERFORMANCE
“Psychologically, it’s hard to do the right thing in investing, which often
requires you to buy what has not done well
of late so that you will do well in the future. We’re hard-wired to do the opposite.” Chris Mayer, an investment reviewer for the Berkshire and Hathaway stock argues that most often than not, you are bound to hit many lows in investing. Your investment decisions are not always going to pan out as you hoped. But there is hope. (Montier, 2009) Says that “In fact, the best investors often underperform over short periods of time.”
The point being, “you can’t worry too much about short term performance.
Investing is a game won by determined turtles, not hares. That means you have to stick with solid ideas, instead of trying to catch what the hottest thing is,” Concludes Mayer.
THE BEST TIME TO BUY A
COMPANY IS WHEN IT’S IN
TROUBLE.
“The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble...We want to buy them when they’re on the operating table.” Source: Warren buffet on an interview with Business Week, 1999.
THINK LONG-TERM.
“Your goal as an investor should simply be to purchase, at a rational price, a part interest in an easily-understandable business whose earnings are virtually certain to be materially higher five, ten and twenty years from now. Over time, you will find only a few companies that meet these standards - so when you see one
that qualifies, you should buy a meaningful
amount of stock. You must also resist the temptation to stray from your guidelines: If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes. Put together a portfolio of companies whose aggregate earnings march upward over the years, and so also will the portfolio’s market value.” Source: Warren’s letter to shareholders, 1996.
THE MOST IMPORTANT
LESSON OF ALL
“Rule No. 1: never lose money;
Have a strong feeling about something you
read? Write a letter to the editor. Letters
exist to provide a forum for public comment
or debate. A letter to the editor is meant
to express your opinion or point of view
about an article you have read from a news
organization, a topical argument or a personal
contribution that benefits the readers of the
Link Magazine.
In general, letters to the editor include the
following common topics:
•
Supporting or opposing a stance taken by
the publication in its editorial, or responding to
another writer’s letter to the editor.
•
Commenting on a current issue being
debated by a governing body – local, regional
or national depending on the publication’s
circulation. Often, the writer will urge elected
officials to make their decision based on his/
her viewpoint.
•
Remarking on materials (such as a news
story) that have appeared in a previous
edition. Such letters may either be critical or
praising.
•
Correcting a perceived error or
misrepresentation.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR GUIDELINES
How to send Link Magazine a Letter to the
Editor:
E-mail: [email protected] and include;
1. Your Full Name
2. Your Contact Details – Email and Phone
Number
3. Year of Graduation,
4. The headline + Letter.
GUIDELINES FOR LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
>
Minimize wordiness. Most letters are
150-300 words long, so remember to be as concise
as possible.
>
Stay focused. Address just one issue or
article per letter.
>
Be respectful. Even if you disagree with an
issue, maintain a respectful tone instead of
being angry or accusatory.
>
Be professional. Keep your tone formal and
avoid slang or overly casual phrasing.
>
Be original. If you say exactly what everyone
else is saying, then your letter won’t get
chosen. Find a way to put a new spin on an old
issue.
>
Be accurate - Letters that are factually
inaccurate are not printed.
Note: Letters may be edited for length,
grammar and accuracy.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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19
A
cover letter is generally the first point of contact between yourself and a prospective employer. It oozes of confidence or lack of, preparedness or otherwise. It is true what they say about creating first impressions. Your cover letter needs to be engaging with a light brush of a personal touch. It need not be a duplicate of your resume, but rather a compliment to an otherwise, data oriented, and factual CV. A good cover letter makes the rest of your application details stand out. It informs the decision as to whether a potential employer will call you for an interview. It therefore pays to dedicate a good amount of time and effort writing effective cover letters.There are three general types of cover letters:
1. The conservative application letter which responds to a known job opening
This is ideal for formal sectors such as business, law, retail jobs, accountancy, and education among others. Such a cover
letter is not ideal for job positions that require proof of creativity
especially in arts. Example:
Dear Sir / Madam,
REF: APPLICATION FOR A JOB VACANCY.
I have just completed my undergraduate studies at Kenyatta University. I was delighted to read your advertisement for vacancy on the Daily Nation on 30 November, 2014, as it precisely fits my career plans.
My educational background in Bachelors of Arts, Economics,
combined with my professional qualifications in accounting, CPA have been an adequate preparation for a career with Cooperative
Bank.
Due to the diverse nature of operations at your company, I believe my excellent interpersonal and communication skills,
coupled with my analytical skills are all attributes you require
in from a candidate. My experience in a sales and marketing department of a local bank gave me a widespread understanding of the banking industry, which is of great value addition to your team.
I am comfortable working independently, as well as collaboratively as part of a team, towards achieving monthly targets. More so, I am able to establish and maintain excellent relationships with clients, colleagues and coworkers at all levels.
I would welcome the chance to provide you with additional information to supplement what appears in my enclosed resume. I am available for a personal interview at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
2. A speculative/prospecting letter which inquires about possible positions
This may vary according to the nature of the organization and the industry you’re applying to. Example:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I enclose my CV for your information.
As you can see, I have had extensive work experience in office environments, the retail sector and service industries, giving me varied skills and the ability to work with many different types of people. I believe I could fit easily into your team.
I am a conscientious person who works hard and pays attention
to detail. I’m flexible, quick to pick up new skills and eager to learn
from others. I also have lots of ideas and enthusiasm. I’m keen to work for a company with a great reputation and high profile like Kenyatta University
I have excellent references and would be delighted to discuss any possible vacancy with you at your convenience. In case you do not have any suitable openings at the moment, I would be grateful
if you would keep my CV on file for any future possibilities.
Yours sincerely
3. The networking letter which requests for information
and assistance in your job search. Example:
Dear Professor (Last Name),
I have greatly enjoyed and benefited from the four classes which I took with you over the past three years. I was hoping that you might know me well enough and have a high enough regard for my abilities to write a general recommendation for my credentials file.
As you can see from the attached cover letter, I am targeting positions in the publishing industry which will draw upon my writing and editing skills, as well as, my organizational ability.
I have included a summary sheet to refresh your memory about some of my key papers including my senior thesis. I have also attached my resume which will bring you up to date about some of my accomplishments outside the classroom.
Please let me know if you are comfortable endorsing my candidacy for jobs in the publishing industry. I would be happy to
answer any questions and provide further information which will
help you to write your recommendation. Can we meeting during your office hours to discuss this further?
Thanks for taking the time to review this request.
Yours Sincerely
Whereas the above examples are typical for the purposes specifically intended, they are not cast on stone and can be used as guidelines to achieving even better cover letters. Whereas writing formats may vary from employer to employer, these five points are a must have to achieve a convincing cover letter:
Content
a. Include a brief introduction about yourself and state the purpose for writing
b. Highlight relevant skills, qualifications and experience to be considered for a job interview.
c. Give real life examples (meeting minimum selection criteria). d. Target your letter to be specific about the role.
e. Inject your personal style into your writing to stand out above the competition.
Format and style
a. One A4 typed page with margins not too narrow b. 10-12 point standard fonts (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial)
c. Plain business English (avoid abbreviations, jargon and slang) d. 100% accurate spelling and grammar
e. Short concise sentences (avoid chunky paragraphs) f. Clear structure - one main idea per paragraph g. White space between paragraphs
h. A positive tone (do not include your weaknesses)
Source: http://www.monash.edu.au/careers/students-grads/apply-for-a-job/cover-letters.html
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
Directorate of Alumni Programmes
P.O Box 43844 – 00100 GPO Nairobi.
Tel. 810901-20 Ext. 57537, Fax-811575 E-mail: [email protected]
Alumni Nomination Form
Title (Prof, Dr, Mr., Ms etc) Surname:
First Name: Middle Name
Surname (If different when at Campus) Address
of the person nominated
Box No:
Town/City:
Postcode:
Telephone Number:
Country:
Mobile Phone: Email Address:
Year of Graduation (at KU) Qualifications Gained
Area of Study:
Name of current Employer/Organization Designation (in current employment)
Nomination Criteria: (Check One) Eminent Alumni
Award ( ) Distinguished service award 1. Service and contribution to KU ( )
2. Excellence in area of
specialization ( )
Outstanding Young Alumni Award ( )
Honorary Alumnus Award ( )
