- MKU has opened nominations for its 2026 Alumni Award, seeking graduates making a meaningful difference in society.
- The overall winner will receive USD 50,000 (Sh6.47 million) and recognition on the university’s alumni wall of honour.
- John Kamau highlights the search for alumni creating lasting impact through their professions, businesses and communities.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) Alumni Directorate has officially opened nominations for the MKU Alumni Award 2026, calling on the university’s alumni community in Kenya and across the diaspora to identify graduates whose work is making a meaningful difference in society.
This is not simply a search for the most successful alumnus. It is a search for impact. That person could soon be recognised with one of the most prestigious honours available to an MKU graduate — and a USD 50,000 (Sh6.47 million) award.
Although every university produces graduates, some graduates go on to do something bigger — they use their knowledge, skills and opportunities to improve the lives of others. The 2026 Alumni Award seeks to celebrate such individuals.
The nominee could be a community champion quietly changing lives at grassroots level, an entrepreneur creating employment, a professional excelling in their field, a public leader influencing policy or an innovator developing solutions to society’s biggest challenges.
And the impact does not have to stop at Kenya’s borders. The university’s alumni living and working in the diaspora are equally eligible for nomination. The overall winner will receive Sh6.4 million in recognition of their significant contribution towards positively impacting society.
They will also receive a certificate of recognition, while their name will be permanently inscribed on the MKU alumni wall of honour. The award therefore offers more than financial recognition. It creates a lasting record of an alumnus whose work has made a difference.
Who is eligible?
In a statement, the institution says the nominee must be an MKU graduate with proven and sustainable contributions in a specific area of impact. They must also demonstrate integrity, professionalism and values consistent with the university’s mission.
Maybe they are building a successful enterprise, making a difference through their profession, empowering others, championing innovation or giving back to their community.
However, university employees, university council members, individuals with a conflict of interest, current Alumni Association executive board members and previous annual alumni award winners are not eligible.
While some changemakers are highly visible, others could be doing extraordinary work away from the public spotlight. The person who deserves this award may be someone you know personally — a former classmate, colleague, mentor, business partner or community leader.
This year’s awards provide an opportunity to recognise and celebrate outstanding alumni who are making meaningful contributions in their communities, professions, businesses and society at large.
From entrepreneurs creating employment and driving innovation to professionals excelling in their respective fields and community leaders making a lasting difference, the alumni continue to demonstrate that the impact of education extends far beyond the classroom.
The nominations, whose details are on the university’s website, opened on September 1, 2026, and will close on September 30, 2026. Applicants are required to submit a completed nomination form, the nominee’s CV and two reference letters. Only complete submissions will be considered.
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The award will be presented to the ultimate winner during the 30th graduation ceremony to be held on Friday, December 4, 2026.
By John Kamau
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