Category Archives: UCU School of Education

Honors College Mentorships: ‘He believed in me’

April 4, 2022News, Students, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

Pamela Tumwebaze, head of UCU’s Honors College, with Kwebeiha John Wycliff, a year-two Law student in the mentorship program.

By Patty Huston-Holm with Laura Cenge and Nicole Nankya
One dictionary definition of “mentor” is “experienced and trusted advisor.”

Pamela Tumwebaze, head of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Honors College, can recall having many, including the Rev. Prof. John Kitayimbwa, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (DVCAA). It was him, in fact, who propelled her to her current job title and got her thinking about making mentorships a deeper part of the Honor’s program.

Tumwebaze remembered an early 2021, end-of-day conversation in her role as the DVCAA Executive Assistant. The university had been in Covid-related, government-ordered lockdown for nearly a year. The university’s financial status, exacerbated by no students and no tuition, required leadership decisions about cuts. The head of the Honors program was leaving to work on his PhD, making that program a prime candidate for the chopping block.

“He (Kitayimbwa) told me the Honors program was going to be shut down,” recalled Tumwebaze, who, like most workers on the Mukono campus at the time, was near exhaustion from doing multiple jobs – theirs and for those not around due to travel restrictions and inability to be paid.

She recalled: “I said ‘I’ll do it.’ He said I couldn’t. But the next morning he said he thought about it, and that I could. He believed in me.”

Such encouragement is part of what a good mentor does. Good mentees do all they can to substantiate that faith.

The UCU Honours College is a leadership development initiative started in 2002, with a focus on Christian principles, as well as creativity and critical thinking. Undergraduate students from all programs are eligible to apply if they have a 4.0 of 5.0 grade point average or higher. In addition to reinforcing the value of academic knowledge, the UCU Honors College program addresses the value of “soft skills”, such as public speaking, work ethic, team building and engaging in relationships, including those with mentors.

Written assignments, oral presentations and service projects with informal mentorships have long been a part of the College. Formal mentorships are new.

Fresh on the job as the Honors College head in January 2021, Tumwebaze realized mentorship was going to be a key component of the program, but implementation with no in-person learning required a virtual strategy. By mid-year, she had a plan that she launched with two students each for four mentors – two Americans (one being Peggy Noll, the wife of UCU’s first Vice Chancellor) and two Ugandans (Johnson Mayamba and Dennis Wandera) living in the United States.

The plan included expectations that mentors be academic and/or career professionals approved by Pamela and willing to be encouragers and coaches. Mentees are expected to be timely and provide learning needs.

Virtual mentorships had expected challenges of student Internet access and understanding that mentors were in different time zones. With students back in session, the number of mentorships has grown to 30 in-person and virtual faculty, alum and other professionals for 96 Honors College students. All program areas are represented with the largest single number from Law.

“I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, willing to try new things,” said Tumwebaze, who has UCU degrees related to literature and is working on a third, a master’s in strategic communication. “Covid taught me to re-create myself.”

A mother of two, Tumwebaze shared that to help support her family during the pandemic, she bought used clothing in Kampala, kept it in her car and sold it to friends. At the same time, she put energies into teaching a literature class and leading the Honors College, encouraging students at a time when she knew many felt hopeless and even suicidal.

“In spite of what I knew was going on in their lives, I encouraged them to look around and serve others,” she said. “We are all broken. I tell them to trust God to open their eyes and help someone else while also helping themselves.”

Those service projects have included cleaning up trash, educating new mothers in a rural village and reinforcing reading for children.

“When Christ calls us, we shall need to show how we helped someone,” she said. “Look for your gifts and use them in His name.”

In mid-March, one such gift is tacked on the bulletin board of Tumwebaze’s second floor office in a building known as “M Block” next to Nkoyoyo Hall. The childlike drawing of a rainbow was made by her almost-four-year-old son for his appreciation of her visit to his school.

Another gift this day was Honors College student, Steven Nsenga, seated by the door. He is a soon-to-be graduate with a Bachelors in Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention in the Faculty of Social Science. He is concerned about refugees.

And he is, Tumwebaze pointed out, assigned to a mentor who gave her this job – the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa.

TOMORROW: UCU Standard intern Nicole Nankya tells more of the story of student and mentee, Steven Nsenga.

WEDNESDAY: Words of virtual mentor Peggy Noll of Pennsylvania, USA.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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UCU education grad rescued by financial aid contributors

January 26, 2022News, Students, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Dianah Ninsiima, financial aid recipient

By Gloria Katya
Receiving an education is everyone’s dream in Uganda. However, to some, the pursuit of that dream turns into a nightmare as money to support the aspiration vanishes. Formal learning is halted.

Such is part of the story of Dianah Ninsiima. It’s a story of education lows and highs – with a helping hand part of the high.

Financial problems started while she was in Senior Two. She was rescued by a “Good Samaritan” who met all her financial needs in secondary and post-secondary school. Because of an anonymous person, she graduated on October 22, 2021, with a Uganda Christian University (UCU) Bachelor of Arts in Education degree.

“I want to thank my sponsor for the work and effort she put in me,” Ninsiima said, promising to work hard and have the “same generous heart and so that I can help those in need.”

Unlike some other students and because of a donor, the 24-year-old says she did not have any tuition challenges during her bachelor’s degree program.

Ninsiima’s desire to pass on knowledge to the younger generation influenced her decision to pursue a course in education, specializing in teaching English and Literature in English. She hopes to teach English and Literature in English in a secondary school in Uganda.

“My sponsor has given me a hand, right from Senior Two, until now,” she narrates, saying there was never a time she was sent home for non-payment of tuition.

When she joined UCU in 2017, many factors influenced Ninsiima to pick the institution as her university of choice. One was that her father, Mujuni Vincent, is a driver who had learned about the value of UCU from some passengers affiliated with Uganda Partners, a USA-based, non-profit charitable organization that provides scholarships and other student, staff, program and facility support.

Looking back at what she has reaped in her three years of study at UCU, Ninsiima is grateful.

“UCU is a great institution because its students are given first-hand information by a team of committed lecturers,” she said. Ninsiima adds that the “manageable number of students at UCU” enables lecturers to identify students’ weaknesses and help them accordingly.

The passion for education and sharing knowledge, Ninsiima says, is part of what drives her. She says at UCU, she was inspired by her equally passionate and vibrant lecturers – Dr. Joel Masagazi, the former Head of the Department of Education at UCU and Peter Mugume, the former Head of the Department of Literature.

Ninsiima is the first of four children of Mujuni Vicent and Nampereza Betty, who live in Rukungiri district, western Uganda. She attended Mirembe Primary School and later joined St. Stephen’s College Bajja, for secondary education.

From UCU, Ninsiima will be heading to her marital home in Mukono, where she and her husband have one child.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Ugandan national ID agency hires 50 UCU graduates as interns

January 12, 2022News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Journalism, Media and CommunicationPatty Huston-Holm

NIRA officials (sitting before computers) serve applicants at UCU recently.

By Derrick Brian Muduku
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has hired some 50 interns from Uganda Christian University (UCU) to help in processing and issuing of the national identity cards (ID) to students and neighbors of the university.

The interns started the assignment with hands-on training for the first two weeks of December 2021 at the old football pitch on the UCU Mukono campus. After the training, the program is expected to run for three months.

Bridget Mugume Mugasira, the Director of Students’ Affairs at UCU, said when NIRA contacted the university for a possible partnership in processing national ID for students, staff and the surrounding community, they seized the opportunity.

Mugume said after striking the deal, NIRA tasked UCU with identifying 50 of its recent graduates to do the job.

“We advertised the slots and received 150 applicants,” she said. “We selected the best, based on their academic qualifications and intention to take up the work.”

Mugume expressed the university’s gratitude to NIRA for the partnership. She said the interns were tasked with the process of replacing lost identity cards, registration of applicants for new IDs, verification of birth certificates, checking on the status of people’s applications for the national IDs and sensitization of the public about activities that NIRA does.

“We are glad to be the pioneer university in implementing this project, which will not only benefit our students, but also learners from neighbouring schools.”

Gilbert Kadilo, the Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Manager at NIRA, said they began with the training in order to equip the interns with the necessary skills before deploying them. Kadilo also revealed that the registration exercise is targeting youth who have never registered or those who did register, but did not get their national identity cards.

Government began to process the national IDs in 2014 under the National Security Information System that later transformed into NIRA in 2015, after the enactment of an Act of Parliament.

Elisha Bruno, a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication and one of the graduate interns working with NIRA, said the opportunity would not only offer him the much-needed experience in the field of work, but also help him to establish connections with some of the staff at the organization.

Sidonia Atto, a third-year student of Bachelor of Education, said there were errors in the spelling of her name and her birthdate and that the presence of officials from NIRA at the university was a godsend opportunity to have the anomalies rectified.

A national ID is almost the solely recognized identification for Ugandan citizens. It is one of the requirements for nationals when opening a bank account, getting a SIM card and getting a Covid jab, among other services.

Pius Mukasa, a first year-student, said when he registered at 16 years, he was only given a National Identification Number and told to wait till when he clocked 18 years to get the national ID.

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UCU academics teach community to access online study materials for children

January 10, 2022COVID-19, News, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

UCU Faculty of Education team that conducted the outreach at St. Luke Church of Uganda, Bweyogerere poses with locals visited during the outreach.

By Yasiri J. Kasango
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has been engaged in outreaches to address community education challenges. One of the latest was led by the university’s Faculty of Education and Arts, which conducted a seminar on online learning.

Members of the faculty showed parishioners of a church in Bweyogerere, near Kampala, ways of using the internet as a tool for education.

The UCU team, led by the faculty dean, the Rev. Dr, Can. Olivia Nassaka Banja, equipped parents at St. Luke Church of Uganda with skills on how to access some of the freely available online learning materials.

Patrick Lugemwa (standing in front), addresses parents and children at St. Luke, Church of Uganda, Bweyogerere.

Some private schools have been conducting online studies since the Ugandan government closed education institutions as one of the preventive measures to reduce the number of coronavirus infections in the country. However, government barred public schools from conducting online studies, arguing that such a move would disenfranchise learners who did not have access to computers or the internet. Instead, government distributed education materials to learners throughout the country and encouraged teachers to conduct studies through radio.

At the end of December 2021, some learners had not stepped into school since the first lockdown in March 2020.

The main facilitator at the seminar at St. Luke Church of Uganda, Patrick Lugemwa, a lecturer in the faculty, showed parents the different sites with free reading materials for children. He also showed the parents how to easily access the learning materials. Lugemwa noted that there are many good sites that provide free reading materials and video classes for children.

Some of the sites that he shared with the parents were https://etutoring.gayazahs.sc.ug/, https://examuganda.com/ and https://e-learning.education.go.ug/en/learn/#/topics

“However, before allowing your children to access any site, you must visit them yourself, to protect the young ones from accessing unwanted literature, such as pornography,” Lugemwa cautioned, emphasizing that the internet can be both useful and destructive.

He also introduced parents to an app, Family Link, which can regulate the amount of time a child spends on the phone, as well as the type of content they can access. The app is available on Google Play Store and Apple Store.

UCU has been championing online learning in the wake of the Covid-19-related lockdown on in-person learning in Uganda. Outreaches like these are a direct response to the appeal made by Uganda’s First Lady and education minister, Mrs. Janet Museveni, during UCU’s 22nd graduation ceremony on October 22, 2021.

Mrs. Museveni, who was the guest of honour at the graduation ceremony, said she was impressed by UCU’s “robust online education program” and encouraged the university to share best practices with other institutions.

In December 2021, the university’s e-learning department hosted leaders from Greenhill Academy, a group of Christian-founded primary and secondary schools in Kampala, for a virtual learning seminar to understand more about the university’s e-learning facilities.

The community of St Luke Church of Uganda commended UCU for the outreach, especially at a time when many parents were preparing their children to resume school on January 10, 2022.

The Rev. Abraham Muyinda Nsubuga, the Vicar of St Luke Church, encouraged parents to embrace online learning so that their children can progress with their studies since it is not clear when the world would overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

Patrick Kisiibo, one of the parents, said his child had not had a chance to access any reading material during the lockdown, noting that UCU’s intervention was timely.

“I didn’t know that there are free books and video classes online,” Kisiibo said. “I can now go back home and ably guide my child on how to utilize online learning tools.”

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American Fulbright Scholar helps UCU improve writing skills

November 29, 2021News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Professor Thomas Deans in his office within the main campus post-graduate block

By Eriah Lule
An American Fulbright Scholar is in Uganda with a goal of helping Uganda Christian University (UCU) establish a writing center.

Thomas A. Deans, a Professor of English, began working in late August with UCU’s Department of Languages as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Uganda on a teaching and research award. The proposal of a writing center at UCU, Deans says, was the centerpiece of his Fulbright application.

And it is not by accident that Deans is pushing for a writing center at UCU. He is currently the Director of the University Writing Center at the University of Connecticut, a position he has held since 2005 when he joined the institution.

Tom Deans interacting with a student in his office at UCU

In fact, even before joining the University of Connecticut, Deans played a pivotal role in steering a college writing program. He was the Director of College Writing at the Haverford College in Pennsylvania. No doubt he is fully aware of the benefits an institution can reap from a center designed to enhance writing skills.

Writing centers are places for collaboration between writers and their tutors. Writing centers may offer one-on-one scheduled tutorial appointments, group tutoring, and writing workshops. They are maintained by universities or created as part of the writing program to help students find their writing voice and tackle any writing challenge.

From August 2021 to the end of February 2022, the duration of the scholarship, Deans is teaching two courses and conducting a research project on undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics writers.

The 54-year-old also has been using the six months to help review UCU’s Department of Languages’ graduate curriculum for master’s students and work closely with the writing and study skills department.

He also is extending his more than 30 years of professional experience to Makerere University in Uganda, where he will be offering faculty development workshops through that University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Support.

“For most Fulbright scholar awards, a letter of invitation is recommended or required, and that can leave applicants who don’t already have established relationships with a potential host institution feeling at a loss,” Deans says.

Initially, Deans had contemplated Finland as his host country for the Fulbright. But that was not to be as his request for a letter of invitation was not granted.

The cold shoulder he got from Finland was a blessing in disguise for UCU. When Deans thought of the warm encounter he had had with Ugandan scholars, he re-established contact with Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, whom he had met while the latter was pursuing his PhD at the University of Connecticut. Mushengyezi did not hesitate to invite Deans to UCU. When Mushengyezi first met Deans, the former was an academic at Makerere University.

According to Dr. Taabu James Busimba, the newly appointed Head of the Department of Languages, Prof. Deans is laying a firm foundation by establishing the center. Busimba believes the center will not only offer a head start for more scholars to go to UCU, but also open doors for them to win grants and sponsorships for the department.

Exams are among the activities which give students goosebumps at school. No wonder, Katusiime Gift, a master’s student in the Department of Languages at UCU, is excited at one proposition by Tom Deans to replace exams for some master’s students in preference for research and presenting of papers.

“I am so excited to have a Fulbright scholar in our department,” Katusiime said.

While exams are an option to research papers in many United States post-graduate programs, Tom Deans asserts that “MA students won’t grow as researchers unless they are writing seminar papers that involve sustained research.” A substantial paper or literature review (completed in several drafts, with feedback and revision) could help build the research and writing experience and could be preferable over a test.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards more than 800 fellowships annually to scholars at all career levels who take up teaching, research, and professional projects in more than 135 countries. Deans won the award under the theme “Cultivating Writing Centers and Writing across the Disciplines in Ugandan Universities; UCU /Makerere University.”

He is married to Jill Deans and they have two sons – Griffin, 21, and Elliot, 18 years. Griffin and Elliot are expected to join their parents for the Christmas holidays in Uganda.

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New Honors College president wants student-to-student mentorships

November 8, 2021News, Students, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Mecca Akello, new student head at UCU Honors College

By Gloria Katya and Ivan Tsebeni
Mecca Akello is the new president of Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Honors College, which is a leadership training program that mentors and trains students with life skills, preparing them for survival in the competitive world.

Akello, a student of Bachelor of Arts with Education, beat two other contenders in the elections that were held virtually on September 23. Akello garnered 29 votes, beating her closest challenger, Samantha Atuhaire, who polled 25 votes.

“It was a tough race, but I’m glad I won,” Akello said, attributing her success to God.

Mecca Akello, student of Bachelor of Arts in Education

Born in the northern Uganda district of Kole to Benson Ongom and Grace Asio, Akello is the last of four siblings. She is no stranger to leadership. As early as secondary school, she was a students’ leader at Kole Secondary School.

In 2018, when Akello joined UCU, she was elected a class representative. She says that position paved the way for her to later join the university’s students’ guild government in 2020.

She believes that her most recent position as Minister of Education in the guild government will help her perform even better at her new role at the apex of leadership at the Honors College, which focuses on Christian mentorship, leadership and academic research.

In her early days as president for UCU’s group of honors students, Akello wants to put in place a student-to-student program to help guide and mentor new students.

“This will reduce the number of students who drop out of the college since the mentors will have been through the same struggles,” said Akello, who joined the Honors College in 2019 in her second year at UCU. She also pledges to address the issue of tuition which she said is the biggest reason for student dropout.

“When I joined the college, I did not really know much, I was scared, I joined it with the intention of keeping the good academic grades,” she says, adding that the college has offered her more than she expected.

To join the Honors College, applicants must have at least a 4.0 Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) out of 5.0. The college offers talented students the opportunity to tap on their mettle through an extra certificate-program, alongside the regular bachelor’s degree course.

The college, which is the brainchild of Prof. Stephen Noll, UCU’s first Vice Chancellor, offers a multidisciplinary approach to scientific and social issues, which helps to enrich students’ projects and research.

Pamela Tumwebaze, the head of the Honors College, says that Akello is one of the students who recently had a wonderful research project.

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Agaba overcomes financial challenges to earn First Class Degree

November 3, 2021News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy

By Eriah Lule
Tough. Tense. Lucky. Diligent. That is how one would sum up the educational journey of Douglas Agaba, an October 2021 Uganda Christian University (UCU) graduate with a First-Class Degree in Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.

Agaba, who was among the more than 3,000 graduates at UCU’s 22nd award ceremony on October 22, 2021, attributes hard work as the main factor in his attainment of a 4.5 of 5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average. The best student at the graduation, Sore Maureen, obtained 4.78.

While Agaba is jubilant about his success, the 26-year-old had rough patches in his education journey. Agaba was orphaned at an early age, resulting in his move from one relative’s home to another. He struggled through school. Yet, each time when he was just about to lose hope, luck smiled on him.

For instance, because of his good academic performance, Agaba earned himself a high school sponsor. He attended Kisugu Primary School, Tropical High School and, later, Buloba High School – all these in central Uganda.

As he sat his Senior Six examinations, one thing was clear to Agaba. He would have no sponsor willing to foot the high tuition fees at a university. While working hard on his studies, he looked for a window of government sponsorship for the best students.

When the results of the admission shortlist in the public university – Makerere – were out, Agaba’s name was not among those who were to study on government sponsorship. He was despondent. As he waited for the next move, a retired Ugandan accountant who belonged to Agaba’s church learned of his dilemma.

Catherine Katwe did not hesitate to offer to meet the cost of Agaba’s university education. In 2017, he was admitted at UCU to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance course.

His tenacity, excellent leadership and resourcefulness is lauded by both classmates and teachers. Agaba was a class representative all the three years of his undergraduate study. He occasionally stepped in to hold academic group discussions for his classmates, to break down course units that his fellow students found too tough for them.

Nixon Katusime, Agaba’s former lecturer, credits his former student for being “ambitious and selfless.”

“He used to help me discuss some topics for his colleague students during online studies,” Katusime said.

Agaba’s strong desire to equip himself with all the marketable skills in the accounting field awakened the overwhelming talent in him. In a bid to supplement on his pocket money, Agaba started holding online private tutoring sessions in his field of study and, he says, many students even from other universities to receive his services.

He also engaged in research and filing tax returns for businesspeople at a fee. With the experience he has acquired, Agaba hopes to register a company to carry on with the services he has been offering.

As a student at the university, Agaba created time to teach at a secondary school on a part-time basis. He says much as he earned sh120,000 (about $35) per month, his passion for sharing knowledge kept him on the job.

At one point, Agaba also worked the night -shift at a filling station, a place he believes he learned the virtues of good customer care, self-discipline and willingness to work even in tough conditions.

Agaba believes that the high moral Christian virtues that UCU stands for is responsible for the success of many of its graduates and he has faith that it is just a matter of when he will also be a recipient of that success in his next job after school.

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UCU art students help renovate sports facilities

October 4, 2021COVID-19, News, Sports, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

UCU art students painting the basketball court recently

Story and photo by Ivan Tsebeni
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has taken advantage of the absence of students by embarking on the renovation of its sports facilities at the main campus. The university intends to spend up to sh12m (about $3,400) in the facelift.

The money is expected to be used to buy paint, among other things, which will be used for a fresh coating on the basketball, netball and volleyball courts.

Speaking at the launch, UCU Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi said the project also is intended to uplift the face of the institution, most especially in sports, through talent development.

“When we have the best sports facilities, it gives us an edge over other universities,” Mushengyezi said, adding that the institution has always been known to be a sports powerhouse.

UCU’s team was the 2019 University Football League champion, beating St. Lawrence University 2-1 in the final played at StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo in Kampala.

In the current facelift exercise, UCU administration chose to contract the institution’s Department of Visual Arts and Design, which hired its own students to execute the project.

“We are using our own students to help build their skills and capacity, as well as to support them financially,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Jamada Bikala, a lecturer in the Department of Visual Arts and Design, thanked the university for entrusting them with the project, noting that it is one way of testing the skills of their products.

“We have, over years, trained our students in this field, but we have not been receiving this opportunity to be assigned such projects,” Bikala said.

Traditionally, UCU has basked in the glory of her superb sport facilities. For that reason, it has often won bids to host major national and regional tournaments. Some of the popular tournaments that have been played at the Mukono campus include the Regional Inter-University Games of East Africa (2013 and 2014).

On March 13, UCU came to the rescue of the Uganda Athletics Federation by hosting the national athletics trials. The athletics body was contemplating cancelling the event after their usual venue, Namboole Stadium, was ruled out because it was a holding facility for Covid-19 patients. The other option, the Kyambogo University grass track, was being used by Uganda’s Electoral Commission during the general election that was taking place at the time.

Michael Kakande, the UCU sports supervisor. attributes such opportunities to UCU’s high quality sports facilities.

Jackson Ssekandi, a basketball player, calls the renovation a shot in the arm.

“We could not feel comfortable playing on such rough and unmarked ground,” he said. “It is better now.”

Kenneth Amponda Agaba, the UCU Guild President, said the facelift was an aesthetic necessity.

“Our sports facilities were not enticing due to the old look,” Amponda said. “This development will encourage more talented students towards sports.”

Vice Chancellor Mushengyezi said the university will be looking into adding a modern swimming pool to its array of sports facilities.

The Department of Sports had been closed ever since last year’s lockdown due to the devastating effects of Covid-19 in Uganda. However, it was reopened mid-this year and the facelift is a sign of the department getting back to life.

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UCU’s new head of art promises to make industry more visible

August 20, 2021Faculty, News, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Dr. Eria Nsubuga, Photo by Stuart Williams

By Eriah Lule
Dr. Eria Nsubuga has always known that being an artist is more than setting pencil to paper, or brush to canvas. He also knows that a new artist uses art to learn and an accomplished one uses art to teach.

Now, an accomplished artist, he is not only teaching art, but leading artists. Nsubuga is the new head of the Department of the Visual Art and Design under the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

The 42-year-old has been rewarded with a leadership position with a challenge.

Nsubuga stands next to a collage painting at an exhibition in 2013. Courtesy photo

“Ugandan art is something that isn’t given enough visibility,” he said. “That’s why Africa is represented by western and South Africans yet the entire continent is a habitat for art.”

Nsubuga already has ideas up his sleeves on how to start injecting visibility into Ugandan art.

He hopes to influence grants and donations for the department, a development he thinks will open doors for some of his students to further their studies within the field of art. He argues that art in Africa, unlike other disciplines, is not taken as seriously as a scholarly endeavor worthy of major investment in the form of scholarships and grants. Nsubuga says the scholarship he got for his PhD was a partial one.

He holds a practice-based doctorate from the Winchester School of Art, at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

Five years ago, from 2011 to 2016, Nsubuga was an ordinary staff of the department he now heads. In 2017, he got the partial scholarship to pursue the PhD course. He completed the doctorate study early this year. Upon his return, UCU found no reward fitter than a promotion.

Nsubuga has practiced art for more than two decades. He has exhibited both as a solo artist and as part of a group since 2002. His works have been exhibited in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands (2003), Greece (2004), Japan (2004), USA (2005), Kenya (2003), Tanzania (2005), New York, U.S. (2017) and in South Africa (2018), among others.

His works have also been published in various prominent journals and magazines, including the African Arts journal in 2017 and the 104th Transition magazine (Harvard University) of 2011, among others.

“Using the exposure I got from different art workshops and exhibitions around the world, I am sure the department is going to build a bridge between the class and the broader field of art,” Nsubuga, a father of two, says.

He intends to enroll soon for a post-doctoral fellowship at the Rhodes University in South Africa.

He has practiced art professionally ever since his undergraduate student days at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial Fine Art, Makerere University, from 1998 to 2001. Nsubuga was ranked one of the best performing students at undergraduate level, with a CGPA of 4.56 out of 5. He also pursued his master’s in sculptures at Makerere, graduating in 2007.

Nsubuga previously worked with the Rainbow Art Club in 2008 and Naggenda International Academy of Art and Design (NIAAD) in 2009, before switching to academia in 2011.

He is the sixth of eight siblings, born to Samuel and Margaret Sserwanjja of Entebbe, in the central Uganda. All Nsubuga’s siblings were artists, though some decided to venture into other fields.

Nsubugs attended Lake View School for his primary school and King’s College, Budo for his secondary school.

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UCU alumnus puts smiles on faces through interior art

August 4, 2021News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Nasasira fixes a board ceiling during a renovation at client's residence — Nasasira fixes a board ceiling during a renovation at client’s residence

By Emmanuel Kizaale
Kareem Nasasira’s ability to beautifully work with granite, paint, wood, marble and board is striking. He does not just throw his energy willy-nilly. The level of concentration he puts in the art he is developing is usually seen in the quality of work he puts out.

Perhaps, that explains his choice to concentrate on interior art. Despite his finesse in many fields, gypsum walls and ceilings seem to be his calling. And he creates them with so much ease, giving out exquisite results.

The 24-year-old says he always cultivates a relationship with whatever art he is engaging with. “I have loved art since I was a child. Even when I am on a break, I just love to sit down and draw sketches of things, just anything,” he says.

The idea of venturing into interior design has been in Nasasira’s mind since secondary school at Namirembe Hillside High School in Kampala. His gratification comes from the smiles on people’s faces.

Little wonder that in 2017, he chose to pursue the Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Art at Uganda Christian University (UCU). He felt it was the only way to give his God-given talent a professional training.

A room designed by Nasasira's interior design company, Nas Interiors — A room designed by Nasasira’s interior design company, Nas Interiors

“When I was still at UCU, we used to go to other universities to attend exhibitions, and I discovered that the kind of art that was being taught in many universities was limited in scope,” Nasasira says. “UCU gives you a variety and it is up to you to choose where your passion lies.”

According to Nasasira, UCU offered choices in ceramics, sculpture, pottery, fabric and several others. “So, the options gave me an avenue to explore and understand where my strength was,” he says.

Now that he had chosen interior design, how would he launch himself into the self-employment world without any startup capital? Nasasira was battling with finding answers to that question. It kept him awake at night.

One particular sleepless night in his second year of studies, he determined to save some of his money he had to live as a student. Since he now had limited time, as well as money to save, Nasasira made a drastic decision to spend only 20% of the pocket money he was given. The rest went into the penny bank.

Kareem Nasasira on duty at a client's residence — Kareem Nasasira on duty at a client’s residence

When he completed his course, Nasasira had his work cut out. He had to buy the essential equipment he needed for the kind of art work he felt he was industrially ready for. That is how Nas Interiors company, the brainchild of Nasasira was born.

The company employs four other youth who work as electrician, painter, carpenter and fixer. He, however, dreams of employing more, when his business portfolio grows.

Nasasira was never afraid to jump in at the deep end as he launched his business. It was around the time when the whole world was shutting down to limit the devastating effects of the Covid-19.

And businesses were folding as a result of the lockdowns.

But he is grateful to the friends he made as a student. It is through their referrals that he has been able to keep in business.

“You come to UCU as strangers at the beginning of the course but, at the end, you leave as a family,” he said, as he enumerated the many people who have helped to advertise for him his business.

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UCU recent education alumna shows resilience in covid lockdown times

July 16, 2021News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Charlotte Mbabazi attends to a customer in her shop on Wandegeya-Bugujju Road.

Story and Photos by Michael Kisekka
Fiercely independent, Charlotte Mbabazi disliked depending on her parents. For that not to happen, she started saving part of the pocket money that her parents gave her while a student at Uganda Christian University (UCU). Those savings became a pillar for her livelihood after school.

At the time Mbabazi graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Education degree in 2020, just like everyone else, she had not anticipated a lockdown due to the devastating effects of Covid-19. The lockdown meant she could not get a school to teach since schools had been shut in Uganda.

The 25-year-old, however, had a fall back plan. It was the sh5m (about $1,300) that she had saved while at UCU. She had the money, but no idea where to invest it. After some thinking, she started a retail shop. Everything was on standstill at the time, but people still needed groceries. So, she thought the answer would be a grocery shop. The location was on the Wandegeya-Bugujju road, adjacent to UCU. She used the sh5m to pay rent, renovate the shop and purchase the groceries to sell.

At the time, businesses were folding because of the impact of the lockdown in Uganda. She did not tell her parents as she set up the business for two reasons: 1) She hadn’t shared that she was saving their money; and 2) selling groceries was considered something for the lowly educated. In fact, Mbabazi’s peers often mocked her about her choice of business.

“People will always talk, regardless of what you do,” Mbabazi said. “But you have to remain focused and aim at achieving your goal.”

When she eventually broke the news to her parents, she said they were more than delighted. In fact, they even supported her with more capital to increase her stock in the shop.

As with all businesses, Mbabazi’s, too, was not short of challenges. She said she faced competition in the business, especially given the fact that she was just a beginner. Eventually when she opened the shop, Mbabazi worked on all days of the week, exposing her to burnout. However, her never-give-up attitude kept her afloat. She soon found ways to work around the obstacles.

“I had to find out how people who owned retail shops around me operated their businesses and how they sold their commodities,” she said. “I also found time to interact with customers, which gave me opportunity to get direct feedback and improve on how to handle the customers.”

When everyone at her home became aware of her new business, Mbabazi enlisted the services of her younger sister, Mary, with whom they would keep the shop in turns, so she gets some rest days. In effect, she feels the training she is giving her sister will be helpful if her sibling chooses to take that path one day.

Mbabazi says she has been able to manage her own finances, which has enabled the grocery shop to celebrate its first birthday. With the business, she has also been able to manage her own finances, thus reducing the financial burden on her parents. Being self-employed is something she always dreamt about; she is glad that her business is growing slowly and steadily.

In fact, Mbabazi has applied to pursue the Master of Human Resource Management at UCU and she hopes to meet the tuition requirements from the proceeds from the business.

While an undergraduate student at UCU, Mbabazi contested for the position of the Guild President, but lost. Even with the loss, she believes she learned invaluable lessons in the campaigns, which she hopes to put into practice in the near future as she seeks an elective office in the country.

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No hurdles could stop Masagazi from PhD dream

July 1, 2021News, UCU Alumni, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Dr. Joel Masagazi Yawe of Uganda Christian University (UCU) during his PhD graduation

By Yasiri J. Kasango
Some people put the label “school dropout” on Joel Masagazi Yawe because after his A’level completion he stayed home for two years. The negative label was ill-placed as Masagazi faced hiccups in his education journey. The biggest barrier – not unlike many young people – was lack of tuition funding, blocking him from further education.

Masagazi opted to do farming with his parents – Mr. and Mrs. Mukasa Kabanda – so he could raise the money that he needed for university tuition. The Kabandas were primary school teachers in Mityana district, found in central Uganda. Once he started his university education, Masagazi did not close his books until he achieved the apex qualification, a PhD. He got his doctorate in education management from the University of South Africa (UNISA) in May 2021.

The 43-year-old is currently a lecturer in the Department of Education at Uganda Christian University (UCU). For overcoming a very torturous education journey, Masagazi’s children adopted the title “doctor” in their everyday reference to their father. To Bukirwa Mary Precious, Nankabirwa Annah Leah and Kabanda Joel Masagazi, their father is now “Dr. Daddy.”

In 2002, Masagazi, who was 24 years at the time, joined UCU to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education. To supplement the income for his tuition, Masagazi combined both work and study, like many other needy students at UCU often do. The work-and-study program was introduced by the university to help needy students raise money for their fees.

“I worked both in the cafeteria and at the library to raise my tuition,” Masagazi said.

Oftentimes, he found it hard to balance work and books, but had limited options. He worked very hard during day and always spared time at night to read his books. He also had an understanding with his supervisors at work, who allowed him to attend classes and only work when he was free.

In September 2005, Masagazi reaped from his sweat, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education.

“I was overwhelmed with joy,” he said. “I couldn’t thank God enough that I had graduated despite the hurdles I had had with paying tuition fees.” He said his parents, too, were excited that he had not disappointed them.

Masagazi attended Turio Primary School in Mityana and Kasubi Church of Uganda Primary School in Kampala. Mityana and Kampala are in central Uganda. For his secondary education, Nyakasura School in western Uganda was his choice.

Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree course, Masagazi was employed at UCU as the alumni relations officer under the Department of Development and External Relations. He also was a tutor in the Department of Industrial Art and Design.

Since Masagazi was not content with just a bachelor’s degree, he continued searching for education opportunities. Two months after graduation, he was admitted for a Master of Human Resource Management course at UCU. Two years down the road, he was a holder of an MA. But he felt he was not yet done with school.

When he applied at a university in Australia, he said he realized that the tuition fees he needed to pay were enough for him to survive in Uganda for the rest of his life. He was admitted, but he did not bother to attend any lectures.

Masagazi later joined UNISA in 2014, where he had an opportunity to study as he worked. For the six years Masagazi was at UNISA, he says on most of the days, he woke up at 4 a.m. to attend to his books. He says he was lucky that his family, especially his wife, Susan, understood the amount of sacrifice he had to make to achieve his dream.

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UCU appoints new deans, heads of departments

May 24, 2021Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, SRPGS, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Dentistry, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of Law, UCU School of Medicine, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

Some new UCU Deans and Heads of Departments present for announcement at a May 2021 function at the Hamu Mukasa University Library. Photo/ Israel Kisakye

By Jimmy Siyasa
The Uganda Christian University has announced a change of the guard within its faculties and departments.

The announcement was made by the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa, during the farewell for some of the outgoing leaders and the unveiling of the new guard. The ceremony took place on May 10 in the Learning Commons Room, located at the Hamu Mukasa University Library.

The Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa unveils a list of some new deans and heads of departments. Photo/ Israel Kisakye

“Covid-19 has shifted the demands,” UCU Vice Chancellor Associate Professor Aaron Mushengyezi said as he urged the new leaders to be creative in their work. “And so, as we come in to lead, please take note, you are not going to lead with the ordinary tools your predecessors have led with. You will require new tools because wholly duplicating what your predecessors did, may not work.”

Due to the “new normal” presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mushengyezi said all programs will have a digital equivalent.

“Covid-19 has changed the academic landscape,” he said. “And so, one of the main tasks for you is to pioneer and continue to consolidate e-learning.”

The university’s council chairperson, the Rt. Rev. Can. Prof. Alfred Olwa, congratulated the new leaders and thanked the outgoing for their dedication and hard work.

The newly appointed Head of the Department of Literature and Languages, Dr. James Tabu Busimba, was delighted by his new role at UCU. Busimba recently retired from a public university, Makerere, after clocking 60 years.

“I think serving in an institution that has one of its core values as Christ-centeredness is such a golden opportunity,” Busimba said. “I am grateful to God.”

According to the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who unveiled the new team, the UCU Statute for Appointment of deans and heads of departments mandates that the appointments are ratified by the University Senate and then submitted to the institution’s human resource board for consideration.

Comments from some of the leaders
“To me, serving in Uganda Christian University is building the kingdom of God,” Professor Martin Lwanga, former Dean, School of Business, said. “It is a privilege, and some of us are still available to serve at this great institution.”

Eriah Nsubuga, the Head of the Fine Arts Department, said: “It is unusual times. But an opportunity for us to reengineer how we do things. And one thing I like about UCU is that they care for their staff.”

“This year, we are changing direction as a university,” said Prof. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, the dean of the School of Research and Post Graduate Studies. “We shall provide a bigger amount of funding to professors, to lead various teams of researchers.”

The changes that were announced in May 2021

Faculty/ Department	New Head of Department	Predecessor
School of Research and Post-Graduate Studies	Dr. Emilly Comfort Maractho (Now the Director- UCU Africa Policy Center) Also Head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, until contract expires on 31 May 2021	Reverend Professor Lawrence Adams
Faculty of Social Sciences	Mr. Kasule Kibirige Solomon
Department of Social Work and Social Administration. (Expired contract )	Mr. Kasule Kibirige Solomon	Contract renewed
Faculty of Education and Arts
Department of Languages and Literature	Dr. James Taabu Busimba	Mr. Peter Mugume
Honors College	Ms. Pamela Tumwebaze	Reverend Abel Kibedi
Department of Art and Design	Dr. Eriah Nsubuga	Dr. Joel Masagazi
Department of Education	Dr. Mary Kagoire	Dr. Joel Masagazi
School of Business
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship	Mr. Martin Kabanda	Mrs. Elsie Mirembe Nsiyona
Faculty of Health Sciences
Department of Public Health	Dr. Edward Mukooza	Dr. Ekiria Kikule

ASSOCIATE DEAN APPOINTMENTS

Faculty	New Dean	Predecessor
Faculty of Social Sciences	Rev. Dr. Andrew David Omona	Prof. Mary Ssonko Nabachwa
School of Business	Mr. Vincent Kisenyi	Assoc. Professor Martin Lwanga
School of Medicine	Dr. Gerald Tumusiime	Has been acting Dean, but now is the substantive Dean
Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Design	Assoc. Prof. Eng. Eleanor Wozei
School of Law	Dr. Peter David Mutesasira	Dr. Roselyn Karugonjo Segawa
Faculty of Education and Arts	Rev. Can. Dr. Olivia Nassaka Banja	Effective date: September 1, 2021

CONTRACT RENEWALS

Faculty	Dean/ Department Head	Renewal Date
Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication	Professor Monica Chibita	To be communicated
Department of Communication	Dr. Angela Napakol	Effective date: June 1, 2021
Bishop Tucker School of Theology	Rev. Can. Prof. Christopher Byaruhanga	Renewed in December 2020
Faculty of Health Science	Dr. Miriam Gesa Mutabazi	Renewed but not communicated

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Why UCU ranks among the 50 most beautiful Christian campuses globally

March 8, 2021News, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Monkeys are a unique feature of Uganda Christian University.

Story and photos by Esther Byoona and Jimmy Siyasa

The sight of monkeys freely swinging from tree to tree, shaking up and enlivening the evergreen foliage, is hard to miss for anyone visiting the Uganda Christian University (UCU) main campus in Mukono. The interaction between students and the monkeys plays out best on Sunday afternoons. Usually, part of the menu for students on Sundays are bananas – something the monkeys seem to be keenly aware of as the primates play like court jesters for a king, hoping to be rewarded with the yellow fruit.

Monkeys are likely part of the reason why UCU was designated one of the 50 most beautiful Christian campuses globally in 2017 by Christianuniversities.org, an online independent resource. As if to buttress the findings by Christianuniversities.org, a year later, in 2018, timeshighereducation.com ranked UCU among the top 10 most beautiful campuses in Africa.

UCU’s lush green terraces and beauty spots sometimes are dotted with mangoes and guavas that fall off the fruit trees. The fruits become food for the monkeys and various species of birds.

The birds sometimes fly waist-high. They land with a peace that tells of their guarantee for safety. During the Advent semester, which happens during wet season in Uganda (September to December), the misty hills of UCU cut an impression of quasi-winter in Africa.

This is the same period doves are seen in beautiful array, pecking at grains underneath the greenery, in front of the Nsibambi university hall. Viewed from the main gate, located at its extreme lower front view, the crown of Hamu Mukasa library also deceptively appears to have snowflakes dangling above it at dawn, during the wet season.

Hamu Mukasa, the largest building on the UCU Mukono campus, houses the library.

Even when the dry season strikes, between February and June, UCU’s beauty does not fade with the weather. Magnificent buildings, such the Hamu Mukasa Library, stay stunning, in and out of season. The library is the largest facility in the university, covering 5,582 square meters.

The Bishop Tucker building, which will make a century of existence in 2022, is another magnificent feature at the university. The building is belted by green ribbons of lush grass and well-tended flowers, on both sides of an isle made of ever-clean, concrete paving. The building, looking like a smaller version of the centuries-old Fiesole Cathedral in Italy, is the most iconic on the university main campus.

Mariam Naigaga, a second-year student, pursing a Bachelor of Arts in Education, says UCU has such a beautiful campus that is conducive for learning.

“The garden near the university’s main gate is really beautiful and inviting,” Naigaga said.

The Rev. Jessica Hughes, from the US, working with the chaplaincy and theology department in UCU, also praised the university’s beauty.

The Bishop Tucker building that houses the UCU main administrative block, including the Vice Chancellor’s office, was built in 1922.

“I admire the way the UCU campus is always improving and I love the beautiful garden that was put at the main gate, as well as the new developments coming up within the university,” she said. Hughes finds the UCU landscape beautiful.

Mary E. Chowenhill, a lecturer at the Faculty of Business Administration, said the variety of plants in the university gives a beauty to behold.

“The hibiscus in the UCU compound has beautiful flowers and originally was planted with the idea that the hedges would be flowers,” she said.

Despite being located within Mukono town, UCU sits on a huge chunk of land, thanks to former Buganda Kingdom Chief Hamu Mukasa, who donated it to the Church of Uganda in the early 1900s.

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UCU markets student artwork to boost sales during pandemic

February 16, 2021News, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

UCU Student Mark Wandera with one of his pieces during the exhibition

Story By Fiona Nabugwere and Majorine Kiita
Photos by Paulyn Alupo and Dalton Mujuni

By 8 a.m. on a hot Friday morning, the Technology Park area of the Mukono campus of Uganda Christian University (UCU) was a beehive of activities as 3rd year students of the Bachelor of Industrial Fine Art program make final touches on their art stalls.

It was December 8, 2020. The students had decorated the area with stunning art pieces ready for the 2020 UCU Annual Fine Art Exhibition. Their master art ranged from ceramics, pottery, and fashion to interior design assembled according to different themes and styles. The 2020 exhibition was a wonderful display of creativity, effort and talent.

Kevin Kambere, one of the students who exhibited pieces, said he created his best piece – a family of giraffes on canvas – using fiberglass and bark cloth. He chose a giraffe to represent the African family.

Kelvin Kambere exhibiting his art — Kevin Kambere exhibiting his art

“I molded clay and laid it on the floor before creating designs in different shapes,” he said. “Then I cast the mold. When it was complete, I introduced the bark cloth sliced into small pieces and thinned to reduce the thickness. I dipped the bark cloth into glue for about 2-3 days to ease the manipulation before putting it on the mold and leaving it to set.”

Kambere spent sh900,000 ($244.95) to make the fiber glass giraffe sculpture and about sh200,000 ($54.06) for the bark cloth piece.

Another student, Mark Wandera, used pencils, pens and watercolors to draw human figures in a style he calls expressionism. One of those pieces depicted a boy eagerly catching water into his mouth.

“I am a freelance artist, and people like the human figures in my work,” Wandera said. “My art pieces can be put anywhere in galleries and sitting rooms where there is no (outside) water to spoil them.”

Solving a Problem in Society through Art was the 2020 exhibition theme.

The late 2020 event drew fewer than normal buyers because it was two days vs. the normal seven and entry inside the Mukono campus was restricted due to Covid-19. Another barrier to sales was a shorter preparation time for students. But being able to do artwork and display it after a virus lockdown brought hope to the young artists.

Mercy Chekwemboi, a fashion student who focused on decency in dressing while still looking elegant and stylish in an African print dress called “Ekitengi,” displayed a detachable dress that could be worn in several different ways. She said time was her biggest challenge in preparing for the exhibition.

“I failed to get a suitable floral material to make the duvet,’’ she said.

To ease student frustrations and offer added opportunity for sales, UCU offered to allow students’ best pieces to remain with the university for another 12 months. During that time, the university would help market and sell those pieces from a gallery in the art department area, from different churches and during university events. One of those events is planned for March 2021 at All Saints Cathedral, Kampala.

“It’s true the students did not have enough time to create as many art pieces like in the past years because of the pandemic,” said Grace Ashe, a lecturer for Painting, adding, “But still they have displayed impressive work.”

According to Rita Namwebe, the acting Head of the Department of Industrial Art and Design, students can retrieve money from sales as they occur and pick up artwork not sold after a year.

Obinna Ikenna, a student who majored in sculpture, said he was glad that the university had granted them this offer. “I am giving them my best piece, which I made under the theme ‘unity among family’,” he said. Chekwemboi loaned a hand-knitted mat to the university to sell it for her.

But Esther Blessing Ageno, who majors in interior design, was concerned that the University may not get the best price for their products. “I spent almost a week working on this piece so it won’t be fair to just give it at a price I am not happy with,” she said.

Esther Ageno assembling her stall during the exhibition in January 2021

During the preparations for this year’s exhibition students faced several other setbacks including challenges in blending colors and patterns plus breakdown of machines.

Art student Abel Nshemereirwe had a process challenge with cracking in ceramics. He illustrated through his zebra-themed ceramics pieces three methods of making ceramics: pottery wheel method, slab method and slip-casting method. He explained that using a pottery wheel produces more durable and attractive ceramics compared to the slab method.

The department of Industrial Fine Art and Design offers a number of course units that include painting, drawing, computer graphics, ceramics, interior design, and fashion and fabrics. In addition to an exhibition, lecturers award students with grades.

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