In the heart of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, stands a prestigious university that has produced some of the country’s most prominent leaders and professionals.
Daystar University, which was founded in 1964, has become a household name in the region, offering quality education and producing graduates who are changing the world in various fields.
But how did this institution come to be, and who are the people behind its establishment?
Meet the Smiths, the visionary couple who founded Daystar University on a verandah.
Dr. Donald Smith and his wife Faye are a dynamic duo whose love for education and passion for changing lives led them to establish what would become Kenya’s first private university.
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Their journey to this achievement began in Zimbabwe, where Dr. Smith was teaching students in his home as he pursued further education at the University of Oregon.
But as the clamor for independence in Zimbabwe intensified, the couple moved to Kenya, where they started Daystar Communications, a media training institute that would later evolve into Daystar University.
The name “Daystar” was inspired by the verse in 2 Peter 1:19, which speaks of the “morning star rising in your hearts.”
The Smiths wanted their institution to be a beacon of hope, a place where students could come and be empowered to make a positive impact on their communities and the world.
Daystar University opened its doors in 1974 as Daystar Communication College, with Dr. Pheko Motsoko, a refugee South African journalist, joining the team.
The institution began by offering courses in media and communication, and within a few years, it had grown exponentially, with a diverse student body and an expanded curriculum.
Today, Daystar University has three campuses and offers more than 58 degree programs to more than 5,000 alumni.
But the road to success has not always been smooth for the Smiths and Daystar University.
In 1979, the family moved to the United States, leaving the institution in the capable hands of Vice Chancellor Stephen Talitwala. It was not until thirty years later that they returned to Kenya and Daystar University, where they found an institution that had grown beyond their wildest dreams.
Today, Daystar University stands as a testament to the vision and commitment of the Smiths, who had a dream of transforming lives through education.
Their legacy lives on through the many students who have graduated from the institution and gone on to make significant contributions in various fields.
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One such graduate is Dr. Julisa Rowe, the daughter of the Smiths, a lecturer in music and drama at Daystar University.
Dr. Rowe is an alumna of Westmont College and Western Seminary, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and English, and her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Intercultural Ministries and Missiology, respectively.
She is also a scriptwriter for “Briefcase,” a popular Kenyan television drama.
Another notable graduate of Daystar University is Prof. Vance Smith, the son of the Smiths, who is now a lecturer in Medieval Literature at Princeton University.
Prof. Smith, an alumnus of Lenana School, Westmont College, and the University of Virginia, holds a Ph.D. in English and is the author of two ethnographies on South Sudan.
His work focuses on the anthropology and philosophy of medieval literature.
