Hekima University College Council Appoints First Female DPAA and an Acting Dean JST, Confirms Registrar and DPAF.

Hekima University College Council Appoints First Female DPAA and an Acting Dean JST, Confirms Registrar and DPAF.

For the first time in history, Hekima University College has appointed a woman to hold the second highest office at the institution, the Deputy Principal of Academic Affairs, DPAA. Sr. Opondo Jacinta Auma FSSA, Ph.D., who has been a faculty member of HUC teaching Canon Law at the Jesuit School of Theology since August 2017 was confirmed as the new DPAA by the college Board of Trustees during their meeting which took place between 12 th and 13 th February 2024, having been proposed by the HUC Council members during their meeting which took place on 9 th February.

The position fell vacant when the current holder Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Foro, SJ was appointed by the Jesuit’s Father General Arturo Sosa as the new rector of Hekima Jesuit Community in Nairobi. The Board also appointed Rev. Dr. Stephen Eyeowa SJ as Acting Dean of the Jesuit School of Theology.

Dr. Eyeowa, a faculty member and also the director of Hekima Review will start this mandate in June when he will temporarily take over from Rev. Dr. Johny Thachuparamban CMI, until a substantive Dean is appointed. Dr. Thachuparamban requested to step down owing to his current responsibilities as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Regional Superior of East Africa. While announcing these new appointments, HUC Principal Rev. Dr. Marcel Uwineza SJ shared that the HUC Council has confirmed Rev. Fr. Francis Anyanzu SJ as the substantive Deputy Principal for Administration and Finance and Rev. Dr. George Macharia SJ as the substantive Registrar following the completion of their probation periods.

Dr. Uwineza expressed gratitude to the newly appointed and confirmed individuals for their generosity and availability to serve. He asked the HUC family to offer them support and prayers. He further expressed that the HUC Board of Trustees, as well as the Council members, asked him to convey their sincere gratitude to Dr. Thachuparamban, who remains a strong, committed, edifying, and competent lecturer at HUC. Meanwhile, he also expressed sincere and deep gratitude to Dr. Foro for his selfless service, excellence, maturity, and love for the Society of Jesus. “Leadership is an awesome responsibility to make a difference for others. May these new servants join our team, our spirit, and the whole of HUC to move it from better to best,” the principal said.