Evalyn Muhia’s dream to study at Strathmore University (SU) was conceived long before she completed high school. She was just a Form One student walking through the Student Centre at SU during the Great Debaters Contest in 2014 when she decided she wanted to pursue her higher education here.  Fast-forward to Form Four and a mathematics contest presented the opportunity to apply to the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) programme at SU. Subsequently, she would win a sponsorship and enrol into the programme in 2018, transforming what had once seemed like a distant dream into reality. She tells me that attending Strathmore was a story of faith.  Until then, Evalyn had envisioned herself pursuing a degree in law. However, when she enrolled in the CPA programme, she quickly found herself immersed in an environment that challenged and inspired her in equal measure. Although she initially viewed the programme as simply another professional qualification, her perspective quickly shifted during her very first orientation.

Listening to Dr James McFie, a senior lecturer in Financial Reporting, Auditing and Cybercrime, explain how accounting forms the foundation of strong leadership and successful businesses, she began to see the profession as a gateway to understanding organisations from the inside out, from a financial perspective. What started as an alternative to her childhood dream of studying corporate law soon became a passion in its own right. Interestingly, she now practises as an auditor at a law firm. Speaking of her 8-year CPA certification journey, Evalyn fondly tells me of a university where excellence was not merely preached but practised every day. From lecturers who were punctual, disciplined and always willing to help, to staff members who treated every student with dignity regardless of their background or financial circumstances, she found herself in a community that embodied ethical practice, professionalism and respect. Sponsored students, she recalls, never felt any different from their peers.

“Even though I was on sponsorship, I never once felt like I didn’t belong. The university has created an environment where, regardless of where you come from, what you have, or even how you got there, the moment you join, you are simply a Strathmore student. That made me feel at home,” she says. This culture would later shape not only her professional life, but also the person she is today. Her journey, however, has not been all smooth sailing. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning in 2020, Evalyn, like millions of students worldwide, had to adjust to virtual classes while navigating the complexities of professional accounting online.  “Lecturers were figuring out how to explain financial reporting to you virtually through Excel, and we were figuring out how to use Excel while at home with no one to ask,” she recalls.

At the same time, she secured her first job in a remote bookkeeping role with a startup despite having no prior work experience. She credits that opportunity not only to God’s favour but also to the practical, principle-based education she received at Strathmore. “They don’t just teach you to pass exams. They teach you the principles to apply. When I got to work, learning became easier because I already understood the fundamentals. I was teachable.” Just as life seemed to be falling into place, her mother, the family’s breadwinner, lost her job during the pandemic. Faced with difficult financial realities, Evalyn put her studies on hold so her younger brother could pursue Automotive Engineering at Eastlands College of Technology (ECT). The fact that she already had a job softened the blow. 

“I decided to pause mine first and wait for him to finish,” she recalls. Watching her brother graduate as valedictorian with First Class Honours remains one of her proudest moments. However, returning to complete her own CPA journey presented another hurdle. During her time away, the syllabus was revised, and an additional paper was introduced. Rather than viewing it as a setback, she embraced the challenge. With the support of the Strathmore team and unwavering determination, she completed the remaining papers, passed the Business Data Analytics (BDA) post-advanced paper and finally achieved the goal she had set for herself years earlier.

Looking back, Evalyn believes the greatest challenge was never the coursework itself but learning to adapt when life refused to go according to plan. She had to learn to be adaptable as circumstances disrupted her learning. That resilience continues to define her career today. After several years in bookkeeping and accounting, she now works as an auditor, grateful to be practising the profession she trained for. Regardless, she tells me that completing her CPA certification has also opened doors that were previously beyond reach, giving her the confidence to pursue new opportunities without fear of leaving unfinished business behind.

Beyond technical expertise, however, it is Strathmore’s values that she carries into every aspect of her work. She learned to ask questions in pursuit of understanding rather than to challenge authority, to treat every person with dignity regardless of their title, and to believe that competence, integrity and excellence will always speak louder than visibility.

As she celebrates this milestone, Evalyn’s story stands as a testament to faith, resilience and purpose. It is a reminder that success is rarely a straight path and that setbacks often become the very experiences that shape who we are.

Article written by: Maurine Kirambia