Dr Vicky Ndunguru Kapesi, Valedictorian
I am deeply honoured to be standing in front of you on behalf of this year’s graduating class.
This graduating class includes 3 main sets of graduands: those from the Institute of Education Development (IED), those from the School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONAM), and those from the Medical College (MC).
The journey for each of us graduating today has been different and similar in a multitude of ways. Each of us came to AKU from a different place with a shared goal, to be better. We all went through an extensive application process and went through testing and interviews to earn our spots at this prestigious institution- AKU. We had to apply ourselves in our courses we had to put in the hard work. The sleepless nights, the effort, the self-doubt and yes, the failures too, brought us to this finish line. With the help of faculty, mentors, our senior classmates and each other, we made it! Well-done!
Today, we join the AKU alumni and start our journey to life after AKU. May we remember the lessons learnt and the principles that AKU has instilled in us. Furthermore, may we proudly carry the banner of AKU with dignity wherever we may go and may we always stay in touch with our Alma Mater.
AKU operates on 4 guiding principles namely Impact, Quality, Relevance and access. Today my focus is on impact. As graduates in the fields of education, nursing and medicine, I implore us to make sure we lead lives that are impactful in our chosen fields. Let us seek to leave a lasting positive mark in the people we interact with and lives that we touch. Let us be voices for advocacy, for ethics, for compassion and for change in our work and in our communities at large.
And as we embark on our varied paths, I hope we look back fondly on our common starting point and look back with nostalgic smiles. I hope we take all that we have learned here and implement them wherever we go. I hope that you maintain the culture of seeking greatness and excellence. You may want to follow the crowd, but please remember that there is beauty in finding your own way, the destination may be better. I hope that you fear regret more than you fear failure. Failing is a necessity to learning. Failing means you were brave enough to try. Always seek to be brave enough to believe in yourself enough to try unchartered waters.
May we all be inspired by a Congolese proverb that states; “No matter how full the river is, it still wants to grow”. As AKU graduates, may we continue to be leaders and life-long learners beyond these walls. Teach others what you have learnt from your success and what you learnt from the times that which you fell short. Let us be kind, resilient, and tough, but please never forget to be empathetic and compassionate. I hope that you remember that you are to aim high. We have achieved a milestone today, but there is more to learn and more to do. Therefore, let us aim higher. No-one will be upset or disappointed if you aim high and miss. However, aiming low and hitting your target should be considered a tragedy. May we move gracefully in our chosen paths, and may we be good ambassadors and a good representation of AKU and the faculty who have moulded us into the people we are today.
Congratulations class of 2024! This is our moment. Let’s make it count!
Thank you.
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