Agents of Change, Rooted in Wisdom

The warm glow of gratitude and celebration filled the air as Hekima University College (HUC) hosted a banquet in honor of the graduating class of 2025, marking the culmination of years of study, formation, and community life. The evening, rich with reflection, laughter, and song, featured heartfelt speeches from the college leadership and faculty, among them Dr. Gaspar Sunhwa, SJ (Faculty), Rev. Dr. Marcel Uwineza, SJ (Principal), and Dr. Elisée Rutagambwa, SJ (Dean, HIPSIR).

“Be Agents of Hope”, Dr. Gaspar Sunhwa, SJ, Tells the Graduates

In his message, Dr. Gaspar Sunhwa encouraged the graduates to live by the wisdom and knowledge they had gained during their time at Hekima. Drawing from the opening prayer at the graduation ceremony, “God of wisdom, God of knowledge,” he reminded the new alumni to let these divine gifts shape not just their minds, but their way of living.

“You may not change the whole world,” he said, “but you can change one person, and that one person can change another.” He called on graduates to remain agents of change, peace, and hope in a world often marked by hostility. “Let people know there is tomorrow,” he concluded, offering blessings and invoking the guidance of God and the ancestors on their new journeys.

“Success is measured by the Lives You Change”: Rev. Dr. Marcel Uwineza, SJ

In his address, HUC Principal, Rev. Dr. Marcel Uwineza, delivered a speech laced with humor, humility, and deep gratitude. Opening with a lighthearted apology for not reading all graduates’ names during the commencement, he reassured the audience, “It was not ill will but rather an act of obedience from an obedient Jesuit!”

Turning to the deeper meaning of the day, Dr. Uwineza reflected on the true measure of success, reminding graduates that it lies not in the number of degrees earned, but in the impact they make on others. “Some lives have changed because we met,” he said warmly.

He likened Hekima’s academic rigor to the deep foundation of a building, unseen but essential for endurance: “Without a strong foundation, the building cannot stand. The same is true for your education; the hard work you don’t see now will sustain you for years to come.”

Quoting an African proverb, he added, “If the roots are deep, we have no reason to fear the wind.” He urged graduates to remain people of depth and integrity in an age of superficiality, and to “give themselves away” in service to others. “When you give yourself, you find yourself,” he said.

Dr. Uwineza concluded by emphasizing Hekima’s mission to form men and women for others; people of justice, character, and compassion. “Please shine,” he urged, “and remember: you are now our ambassadors. Speak on behalf of Hekima wherever you go.”

“You Are Midwives of Peace” Dr. Elisée Rutagambwa, SJ

In a heartfelt closing message, Dr. Elisée Rutagambwa, Dean of the Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR), likened the faculty’s work to that of midwives who help bring new life into the world. “What we do is a kind of midwifery,” he said. “Each of you is a story of effort, sleepless nights, and perseverance. Today, we celebrate your birth into a new chapter.”

He praised the graduates’ hard work and encouraged them to carry forward the spirit of peace, leadership, and service they cultivated at Hekima. “You are peacemakers,” he said. “You have learned not to surrender to cynicism, but to believe that knowledge and commitment can bring about a better world.”

Dr. Rutagambwa also emphasized the importance of continental solidarity, urging graduates from across Africa to stay connected as “a network of peacemakers” who can transform the continent. “We need our people to be prosperous and happy, not a continent of conflict, but a continent of peace and innovation,” he said.

He expressed deep gratitude to the lecturers, staff, and organizing committee who made the event possible, acknowledging their unseen sacrifices and tireless dedication. Concluding with a blessing, he told graduates, “It’s not about you, it’s about the people you touch and the decisions you make in their lives. That is what lasts.”

The banquet ended with cheers, toasts, and music as the Hekima family celebrated its newest alumni; men and women now sent forth as agents of transformation, bearers of hope, and builders of peace for Africa and the world.

By Pamela Adinda, HUC International and Communications Coordinator