In 2022, a young girl full of dreams walked through the gates of Kampala International University with one goal in mind, to become a journalist whose stories would travel far beyond Uganda. The ambition was always there, but the direction was not. Like many students enrolling into university for the first time, I knew I loved Mass Communication, but I did not fully understand what that love would demand from me.

Everything felt unfamiliar at first: the lecture rooms, the production equipments, the assignments, and the pressure of trying to find my voice among so many other ambitious students.

But somewhere between confusion and curiosity, I stayed. I kept showing up, learning, failing, trying again, and slowly university became more than just a place to study. It became a place where I started discovering who I truly was.

Through practical courseworks, production classes, and storytelling exercises, I realized that media was not only about reporting facts. It was about creating connection and emotion through stories.

During my time at KIU, I produced a documentary titled THREE YEARS DONE: A Journey Beyond the Degree, a project based on my life throughout university and the experiences that shaped me during my time at KIU, the growth, uncertainty, friendships, challenges, and lessons along the way. I also had the opportunity to work on newspaper production, which taught me discipline, teamwork, and the responsibility that comes with communicating to the public.

Some of my most memorable experiences happened outside the classroom. Together with my friends who shared the same passion and ambition, we created our own YouTube-based platform called AFRICA LIGHT TV. This journey taught me confidence, creativity, and the importance of building with people who believe in the same dream.

My internships at XFM and NTV Uganda gave me an even deeper understanding of the professional media world. They exposed me to the discipline, pressure, and responsibility that come with working in communication and journalism.

Today, as I leave KIU, I leave with far more than a degree. I leave with growth, memories, friendships, experience, and a clearer understanding of the person I am becoming.

By

Mercy Lydia Nganda - Bachelor of Arts in journalism and Mass Communication