There is a particular feeling that hangs in the air at the end of a long journey, something between relief and disbelief, nostalgia and anticipation. On the evening of 15 May 2026, that feeling filled every corner of the gala dinner hall as the School of Computing and Engineering Sciences (SCES) at Strathmore University gathered to honour its graduating Class of 2026. Dressed in their finest and arriving with the glow of people who had earned the right to celebrate, students and faculty came together not merely to mark the end of a degree programme, but to acknowledge the full, unvarnished weight of what it took to get there: the sleepless nights, the impossible deadlines, the code that would not compile at 2 a.m., and the quiet, stubborn resolve that carried them through it all.

Beneath the glitter and the laughter was a far more enduring story, one of transformation. The people in that room had arrived at Strathmore as students. They were leaving as engineers, scientists, and problem-solvers. And for one memorable evening, the university made sure they felt every bit of that difference.

Madam Regina Idewa, School Manager of SCES, was the first to address the room, and she did so with the kind of warmth that only comes from someone who has watched a cohort grow from nervous first-years into the polished graduates seated before her. She named what the students had accomplished, without minimising any of it, and the room received her words with the quiet attentiveness that good speeches earn.

Eng. Dr. Julius Butime, Dean of SCES, followed with a speech that looked firmly towards the horizon. He spoke about the school’s deepening engagement with industry and its growing applied research agenda, not as institutional talking points, but as concrete pathways to internships, employment, and careers with real meaning. He pointed to continued investment in laboratory upgrades, digital learning infrastructure, scholarships, and mentorship programmes, making clear that every improvement is made with one question in mind: are the students who come next as well-equipped as the ones we are sending out tonight? For the graduating class listening in the room, it was reassuring to hear that the institution’s ambition on their behalf had not been incidental, it had been deliberate.

A voice of experience

As these graduates stand on the threshold of a new chapter, preparing to leave university and step into the professional world, hearing from alumni who have already walked that path becomes especially meaningful. Alumni bring with them not only success stories but also valuable lessons learned through experience, the challenges they faced, the opportunities they embraced, and the realities of life beyond graduation. Dr. Lornah Mutegi, a SCES alumna from the Class of 2012, spoke with the confidence and wisdom that come from lived experience. Having completed her undergraduate degree at Strathmore before pursuing a master’s degree and later a doctorate in South Africa, she reflected on a journey that was rewarding but not always straightforward.

Building on this message, Madam Christine Garashei, Manager of the Strathmore Alumni Association, reminded graduates that commencement does not mark the end of their relationship with the university. Instead, it signifies their entry into a lifelong community of professionals, mentors, and peers. She emphasized that the Strathmore alumni network is not merely a database of former students but a vibrant and supportive community committed to helping its members thrive. Encouraging graduates to take advantage of the Strathmore Connect platform, she highlighted the importance of building relationships, seeking mentorship, and learning from those who have already travelled the road ahead. Her message was both practical and reassuring: while graduates may be stepping into unfamiliar territory, they do not have to do so alone. Through the alumni network, they have access to a wealth of knowledge, guidance, and opportunities that can help them navigate the next stage of their personal and professional journeys.

After dinner, the evening turned to recognition. Awards were presented across a range of categories: class representatives who had quietly shouldered the weight of their entire cohorts through difficult semesters, best friendship duos whose loyalty had been forged in the crucible of late-night study sessions and shared panic before exams, outstanding students whose names had been whispered with a kind of reverence in lecture halls, and inspiring lecturers whose impact had long outlasted the final slide of any PowerPoint. It was a ceremony full of genuine warmth, with every winner receiving the kind of applause that makes clear the audience actually meant it.

For the Class of 2026, the full weight of what they have achieved may still be settling. That is not unusual. Some things only truly land the moment your name is called across a stage, or the morning after, when the quiet returns and the reality of it has room to breathe. But on the evening of 15 May 2026, surrounded by the faculty who had challenged them, the classmates who had carried them, and the institution that had prepared them, the SCES Class of 2026 already had every reason to know: they are ready for what comes next. And what comes next is going to be extraordinary.

Article written by: Calvin Kinyanjui