Katongole tips fresh graduates on jobs

Students graduating from the universities have been challenged to become innovators and job creators, if they want to succeed in life.

The new chancellor of Nkumba University, Emmanuel Katongole, advised the students to be self-driven, in order to start up jobs, instead of seeking for them.

Katongole, the fifth chancellor of the university, made the remarks at the 23rd Nkumba University graduation ceremony on Saturday.

A total of 1,312 students graduated from Nkumba University on Saturday with certificates, diplomas, degrees, masters and PhDs in different fields.

Out of these, 700 were male.

The event was conducted virtually, due to restrictions on large gatherings.

Only a few graduands who completed post-graduate courses, attended the ceremony at the university.

He said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many things had changed and jobs had become difficult.

He said: “As you leave the gates of the university today, always remember five ‘Ps’; purpose, passionate, perspectives, prepared and productive.”

“Do not wait until conditions are perfect, be a doer and ideas alone don’t bring success, use actions to cure tears, start your creative engine mechanically and get down to work immediately the opportunity sets in,” he said.

He lauded the leadership; former chancellor businessman Gordon Wavamunno and the staff of Nkumba University for “training the wide range of professionals in the humanities.”

Katongole narrated his experience after his graduation.

“It is a day I thought that, yes, I have made it and it is time to enjoy.

Nevertheless, days after this special day, I confronted the reality of what to do. I had big dreams, but these met so many obstacles,” he recalled.

Katongole said he was happy that the Nkumba University Council, management and staff swiftly adapted to the new virtual reality brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The university’s vice-chancellor, Jude Lubega, advised graduands to have a goal in life and never to be satisfied with less.

The best student was Robinson Okello, who got a first class in the Bachelor of Arts in public administration and management with, a CGPA of 4.93.

Two Kampala archdiocese priests — Fr Ronald Bwanika and Fr Peter Kavuma — were among the graduands.