ST. PAUL – Dr. Alan Cureton, president of the University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) and Northwestern Media, presented the commencement address at Daystar University in Kenya on November 12. Both Dr. Cureton and Northwestern have a longstanding relationship with Daystar, a Christ-centered non-denominational institution of higher learning in Nairobi.
Cureton’s message to Daystar’s 1,388 graduates was titled “This One Thing I Know”: a presentation of Jesus’s healing of a blind man (John 9) as a way to instill the students’ confidence in Christ, leading to the establishment of convictions and clarity from the Holy Spirit.
Dr. Cureton has personally been associated with Daystar since 1999. A former trustee and board member, Cureton has visited the African university on multiple occasions, most recently in 2019. Dr. Janet Sommers, UNW’s provost, currently sits on the Daystar U.S. board.
In past years, Daystar and Northwestern have had a coexisting relationship that included a student and faculty exchange. As part of its mission to lead people to Christ and nurture believers in their spiritual growth through Christ-centered media, Northwestern Media helped Daystar start its student-led Shine FM radio station in 2003. Most recently, a team from the University of Northwestern and Northwestern Media visited the Daystar campus in June 2021 to install equipment that the organization had donated to the Kenyan institution’s communication department and Shine FM studios.
Established in 1989, Daystar University offers a combined 53 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in programs ranging from nursing and biomedical science, to law, business, communication, and a host of other pathways related to arts and humanities. Daystar welcomes 5,000 students from around the globe and has one of the highest graduate employment rates in Kenya.
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University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) is a nondenominational Christian university in St. Paul, Minn. With a biblical worldview integrated into all programs, UNW provides a unique educational experience for students who want to combine faith and education. Northwestern offers 75+ areas of undergraduate study, seven master's degrees, and online and early college programs. Northwestern Media, a ministry of the university, owns and operates 23 Christian radio stations throughout the Midwest with a total listenership of more than 1.35 million listeners. Visit unwsp.edu for more information.
Photos courtesy of Micah Tinga Nyae, Corporate Affairs Department, Daystar University.