UMU graduate Kenyangye says PR award is 'big motivation'

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Bridget Kenyangye has been awarded for emerging as the best graduate student in public relations studies at Uganda Martyrs University (UMU).

She received the award from the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU).

Kenyangye graduated from the Nkozi-based university last November with a Bachelor of Mass Communication and Journalism, scoring A+ in public relations.

She currently works as a news and sports reporter in Kampala.

“I am passionate about PR [public relation] and I enjoy speaking for others. This award is a big motivation in my career journey," she said on Friday when receiving the award.

The presentation of the award took place at UMU.

Some of the students who excelled at the media competitions with their lecturers. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

PRAU vice-president, Paul Mwirigi Muriungi, said their association strives to promote PR excellence, which is why they recognize and support the best PR students from different universities.

“For the last eight years, we have been visiting universities while training and awarding students. We also run a mentorship programme," he said.

The top PR student from each university receives a trophy, certificate and between sh200,000 and sh300,000.  

Awardees also get mentorship and internship opportunities.

To select the winners, Muriungi said they work with a university's journalism faculty to identify the best student.

The chosen student must be brilliant, hardworking, disciplined, innovative and proactive. 

PRAU so far awards students from Makerere University, UMU and Ndejje University. This year, they started with Makerere and awarded Hope Oroma Ojera, and then Kenyangye from UMU. Next up will be Ndejje.

Sister Dennis Samanya, the UMU Dean Associate, said the awards motivate the students to work hard and open them up to opportunities to gain more skills and put the theories learnt into practice through internships and mentorships.

“These days, employers look out for people who are creative and can multitask,” she said.

“These students have the chance to learn more digital skills in radio and television plus people management, marketing and public relations.”

Rev. Fr Dr Christopher Mukidi, the UMU Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said they emphasize ethics and integrity because it is the one way the country can have employees who can resist vices like corruption, especially in public offices.

At the same engagement on Friday, the UMU students who excelled in the 2024 Inter University Media Challenge competitions were awarded, including the best live radio reporting and best community and TV reporting.

The annual awards are organized by Media Challenge Initiative in Kampala.