THEME: HERITAGE, HORIZONS & HOPE: A CELEBRATION OF PRESENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND IMPACT.Â
Tangaza University’s Centre for Leadership & Management (CLM) hosted the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul Open Day on Friday, September 26, 2025, celebrating the saint’s enduring legacy with the theme: “Heritage, Horizons & Hope: A Celebration of Presence, Leadership, And Impact”. The event highlighted the university’s commitment to values-based education and service, echoing the life of St. Vincent de Paul, who passed on 365 years ago.
The Objectives of this event are to celebrate and experience the leadership heritage of st. Vince de paul with Tangaza university community, partners, and invited guests, to deepen stakeholder relationships through reciprocal shared values and servant Leadership experiences and to engage in reflective moderated dialogues on intentionality of ethical and Organizational leadership.
Anchoring Education in St. Vincent de Paul’s Legacy
The day began with a meet and greet, a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor, and a familiarization tour of the university. The proceedings then moved to Nuru Hall, where attendees enjoyed entertainment from Divine Harmonics and opening prayers.
In her introductory remarks, Sr. Alice Anzoyo, Director of CLM, welcomed the guests and emphasized that CLM anchors its core values on St. Vincent de Paul’s life and legacy. These values—Mission, People, Task, and Service—encourage students to emulate his example through 12 specific competencies.
Voices of Heritage, Horizons, and Hope
The session on “Voices of Heritage, Horizons, and Hope” featured several speakers who connected the day’s theme to the practical work of CLM and its students:
Sr. Margaret Mutiso, Coordinator of CELEMAS, shared that the Centre for Leadership Scholarship Fund (CELEMAS) was initiated in 2022 after recognizing students’ struggles with fees, accommodation, and feeding. Serving the poor is viewed not just as charity, but as “encountering the Lord”. Fundraising efforts have supported 22 CLM students through this fund.
Rev. Fr. Corbinian Kyara PhD, Undergraduate and Postgraduate Program Leader at CLM, welcomed guests and provided a summary of the courses offered, which include Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelors degrees (Leadership and Management, and Commerce), and a Masters in Ethics and Organizational Management. He also encouraged partnerships—individual or institutional—to support students’ education.
Postgraduate Student Ms. Lucy Maingi championed development, quoting St. Vincent de Paul: “Charity is the cement that binds”. She urged reflection on:
Heritage: Being beneficiaries of donors and faculty who came before them.
Horizons: The good works of St. Vincent de Paul, which enable students to become leaders who can shape global narratives.
Hope: Serving as “pilgrims of hope” for studies, families, and country.
Rev. Prof. Patrick Mwania, Vice Chancellor of Tangaza University, acknowledged the DePaul Fathers and highlighted Tangaza’s uniqueness in connecting classwork with values to give needy students access to education. He said, “We touch minds, touch hearts and transform lives,” and urged attendees to lead with integrity, inspire with hope, and serve with love.
Leading with Impact: Fireside Conversations
The afternoon featured a lively Fireside Leadership and Mentorship Conversations panel moderated by Mrs. Florence Okeke, Training & Research Officer for The Leaders Guild. The sub-theme was“Leading with Impact for Impact: Navigating Presence, Leadership, and Impact in a Fast-Paced World”.
Panelist Highlights:
FPRSK Stephen Wangaji, OGW, Chief Manager, Public Relations & Communications, Office of the Controller of Budget, Kenya: Stressed that communication is key to impact. He emphasized being rooted in service to empower communities and give citizens a voice in finance. For staying grounded, he advised integrity, self-reflection, and collaboration, noting, “real impact happens through collaborations”. He quoted Robin Sharma: “leadership is not about the seat you occupy but the difference you make where you stand”.
Mr. James Gatuku, Lecturer, Tangaza University: Reminded the audience that everyone is a leader. He encouraged attendees to believe in themselves, be confident, and authentic, saying, “stop masking at some time the mask fall”. He advocated for positive psychological leadership, resilience, and humility. His key takeaway was: “Let us do ordinary things but extraordinarily well”.
Dr Jane Weru, Director Corporate Services, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: Highlighted that leadership starts young. A good leader must be strong, an advocate of Emotional Intelligence, and a visionary thinker who takes followers to a place they yearn to go. She advised firmness amidst challenges, empowering teams, and using human judgment alongside data. Her quote for the day: “In God we trust everyone must bring data”.
Key Note Speech: Heritage, Horizons & Hope
Mr. Kiarie Kamau, Chief Executive Officer, East Africa Educational Publishers, delivered the keynote speech, focusing on the sub-theme: “Heritage, Horizons & Hope in the 21st Century Learning Environment”. He noted that St. Vincent de Paul reformed the clergy and started institutions that still serve people today.Â
Heritage is about serving people through charity, justice, and faith, giving us roots and a conviction that everyone is worthy of dignity.
Horizons call us forward, expanding possibilities, and ensuring education is inclusive so “every learner has a chance to learn and thrive”. Publishers play a role in preserving indigenous stories and history.
Hope is contagious, showing learners they can be visions of change and encouraging perseverance.
He concluded that this theme provides “marching orders,” emphasizing that “Knowledge that is devoid of value is hollow,” and education must focus on easing human suffering and having a redeeming value.
Closing the Celebration
The event concluded with the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul Cake Cutting led by Mrs. Lucy Wendy, a vote of thanks by Ms. Margaret Maranga, and closing prayers by Cecilia Osyanju, PhD. Attendees then enjoyed entertainment from Paula the Saxophonist, followed by a photo session, refreshments, and networking.
The celebration, emceed by Mr. John Njuguna, was a powerful reminder of the enduring call to service and ethical leadership that St. Vincent de Paul exemplified.
