Bachelor of Science Telecommunications student Grace Kiunga, describes her Strathmore journey as one that was rich and wholesome, an experience she would never forget. Strongly believing in the fact that hard work with no play would make her a dull lady, Grace allowed herself to maximize on as many opportunities as could present themselves for her taking.

 

She was the first girl student to get a brown belt in karate, a student council sports representative leader, and a member of the community outreach program, all of which allowed her to give excellence gaining the best of each world.

Discuss your journey through Strathmore?

During my four years at Strathmore, I was involved in a lot of activities; I joined karate club in my second year where I trained to be the first lady to get a brown belt at Strathmore; I also got an opportunity to serve in the Student Council as a Sport’s Representative which broadened my mind and skills on dealing with different people, opening many doors of opportunities I must add; I was also involved with activities such as team buildings and community outreach programs. I also took advantage of the short courses and certifications that Strathmore offered.

 

I believe I also grew spiritually and mentally through the mentorship program that the school offered us.

How did you know about the Strathmore Loan?

Firstly, I got to know about Strathmore University through a newspaper advertisement for EABL Scholarships being offered. I applied without paying much attention to it because at the time, right after high school, I was applying for a lot of things and I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to do. The university received a lot of applications at the time so they called me and told me that I had not qualified for the Scholarship but they would like to consider me for a Plan B option which is the Strathmore Merit Loan scheme. The loan would cater for my school fees together with my accommodation for the four year duration of study, and I would repay it over a span of 10 years from the time I started first year.

 

Part of the terms for the loan was the fact that for each academic year that I scored a 1^st class, I would only repay 25% of the total loan.

So how did you maintain working hard and remaining at the top?

I would say that attending lectures, doing all my assignments in good time, and taking part in group discussions and presentations ensured that I had good grades in the continuous assessments. This helped me maintain an in-depth knowledge of what was taught in class. During the exam period, group discussions and group revisions helped me know what was likely to be set in the exams and to put myself in the mind of the lecturer. In a nutshell, I mastered how to work smart and not hard.

 

I am now happily awaiting graduation in June of this year.

What grade did you get in high school and which school did you attend?

I attained a mean grade of A plain in my KCSE, I was a student of Precious Blood High School- Kilungu.

Are you working at the moment?

I am currently working for SAP (Systems Applications Products) and so far so good, I am loving it. The company is dynamic in its operations and has pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I also experienced great opportunities to interact and get involved with people from different cultures.

 

Outside of SAP, I am a co-founder of a natural hair brand, Frovolution, which is basically about embracing your natural beauty and setting your own standards of beauty as opposed to relying on what the society calls beautiful hair or a beautiful person.

What is your family background?

I come from a family of 5 siblings with parents who are teachers, so education is paramount to them. The joy to that is that they push us to our limits and teach us not to settle for any less than the best. This I believe has shaped me into who I am today.

What advice would you give other students on being excellent students?

My advice to other students is that outside of education they need to enjoy doing activities; make friends, establish connections and networks, take up leadership positions that present themselves, and enjoy life outside of books. They serve as good breaks to a life of studying hard.