Experiences of International Networking from Prof. Laban Ayiro’s 2021 US Trip
Extracts from Prof Laban Ayiro’s Report on the US Trip
As we ushered in 2022, we were reminded that one of the many achievements of Prof. Laban Peter Ayiro in 2021, was his successful Networking and Fundraising trip to the US in the fall.
For one month in August 2021, the Vice Chancellor of Daystar University Prof. Ayiro engaged various international stakeholders in the US to create synergies of collaboration and fundraising.
The Vice Chancellor trip was exceedingly fruitful that on his return addressing the Daystar Community during the Prayer Day on 9th September 2021, he announced to have raised Ksh 67.5 million towards the construction of the School of Nursing.
Most commendable was David (Daystar US Board) and his Daughter Eloise Marie- Loeffler who spearheaded the fund-raising of Ksh 12.5 million through Daystar US Board towards equipping two skills labs. By the end of his trip, the equipment was ready for shipment
He had met Prof. Jennifer Rice King President and Provost of Maryland University to discuss among other tangent issues: The School of Nursing in terms of capacity building, short course training and student placement for short term opportunities for student and faculty exchange.
From the deliberations, it emerged that the University would offer a Public Health scholarship and Faculty support. It would also enhance collaboration to support the agriculture projects: in terms of Dairy and Poultry, where Prof. Ayiro envisioned the launch of Diploma and Certificate Courses in in Agriculture at Daystar University.
Other collaborations included establishing a multi-disciplinary Research Centre at the Athi River Campus in collaboration with the Texas Tech University.
At Michigan State University, the Professor negotiated with the University President and Provost Prof. Teresa Woodruff and other faculty members. Outcomes of which Daystar University was brough on board as a member of Partnerships of African Universities which is a research consortium.
The University through the collaboration was granted and internship of 6 months for one person to understudy grant research and proposal writing in addition to an offer of one PhD Scholarship – Communication / Psychology and two professors on Fulbright fellowship for 1 year to teach at Daystar University in Communication and Psychology
The meeting at the Colorado Boulder University agreed to faculty exchange of one PhD scholarship in ICT, a student exchange program and Faculty support -through online classes at Daystar University.
The Vice Chancellor also met the Daystar University alumni, in a virtual zoom meeting that followed with a luncheon. The alumni agreed to support the building of the Nursing Block, established a chapter of alumni in the diaspora and met Rev Emmanuel Mutangana, a Daystarian who pastors a church in the USA.
His visit at Howard University profiled a spectacular historically black University, where an exchange programme for Kiswahili students from Howard to Daystar University was reached as well as collaboration for the School of Nursing in Simulation Labs. He had met Prof. Jennifer Rice King President and Provost of Maryland University to discuss among other tangent issues: The School of Nursing in terms of capacity building, short course training and student placement for short term opportunities for student and faculty exchange.
More Pictures from the US
