Rev. Dr Donald Kendall Smith and Mrs Faye Gladys Smith were the founders of Daystar University. The duo began as American missionaries in South Africa in 1952 before launching Daystar Publications in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in 1964, with Dr S.E. Motsoko Pheko.
Donald, a communication expert with advanced degrees, and Faye focused on training African Christian leaders in media and publishing amid apartheid challenges. They relocated to Nairobi in 1971-1973, acquiring land for Daystar Communications, which evolved into the university chartered in 1994.
Faye Smith passed away on October 6, 2023, at age 95, after decades of supporting the vision; Donald remains honoured as co-founder. Pheko contributed to early publishing efforts before exile.
History of Daystar University College
In 1967, U.S. missionaries Dr Donald and Mrs Faye Smith, along with South African Dr S.E. Motsoko Pheko, established Daystar Communications in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Their goal was to advance Christian communication across Africa.
By 1968, the Daystar US Board was formed in Eugene, Oregon. Over the next decade, this group of young Christian businessmen provided financial and moral support that enabled the growth and sustainability of Daystar’s initiatives.
As of 1974, with significant backing from U.S. supporters, particularly through grants from the Tyndale Foundation, Daystar acquired and developed property in Nairobi. This site became the campus for Daystar Communications, later evolving into Daystar University College.
By 1977, the MA in Communications program at Daystar was accredited by the North Central Accrediting Association, recognizing the partnership between Wheaton College and Daystar. The following year, 1978, the first cohort of four students graduated with their MA in Communications from Wheaton College at the Nairobi campus.
In 1979, Dr. Stephen Talitwala, from Uganda, was appointed the first President (Executive Director/Vice-Chancellor) of Daystar.
1982 marked a milestone as Daystar U.S. was officially established as a non-profit organisation to support Daystar University. Management responsibilities were formally transferred to the African Daystar Board, led by its first chairman, James Mageria.
Also in 1982, Dr. Talitwala highlighted the urgent need for a Christian college with an accredited B.A. program in Africa. He noted that many Daystar diploma students sought degrees overseas, a costly and impractical option. He appealed for support to establish a fully accredited college in Nairobi, enabling African students to pursue higher education close to home while addressing the continent’s limited Christian tertiary education opportunities.
Renamed Daystar University College, it moved to the Athi River campus (1992) and received a full presidential charter on September 29, 1994.
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Enrollment reached 2,000 by 2001, 4,000 by 2010, and over 5,000 by 2018, with infrastructure such as science buildings and a radio station added with U.S. support. Today, it serves 25+ African countries through 32 undergraduate, 16 master’s, and 2 PhD programs, all under African leadership.
Courses Offered at Daystar University (Kenya)
Daystar University offers a wide range of academic, professional, diploma, certificate, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across multiple schools and disciplines.
Undergraduate Programmes
- Bachelor’s degrees in communication; Business Administration & Management; Accounting; Marketing; Purchasing and Business Logistics; Management Information Systems; Economics; International Relations & Security Studies; Peace & Conflict Transformation; Psychology and Counselling; Social Work; Monitoring & Evaluation; Applied Computer Science; Environmental Health; Actuarial Science; Biomedical Science; Law (LL.B); Nursing (B.Sc)
- Bachelor of Education (B.Ed Arts and B.Ed Sciences) in the teaching fields
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) programmes in English, French, Kiswahili, Music, and Peace & Conflict Transformation
Also Read: Daystar University Mourns Lecturer Who Served the Institution for 31 Years
Postgraduate Programmes
- Master’s degrees, including MBA; Master of Public Health; MSc Nursing Education; M.A. Communication; Master of Education in Leadership and Policy Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Ministries, Diplomacy, Development & International Security, Counselling Psychology, Children’s Development, Monitoring & Evaluation
Doctoral Programmes
- PhD options in Communication, Business Administration & Management, Clinical Psychology, and Development Studies
Diploma Programmes
- Diploma courses in Information Communication Technology (ICT); International Relations; Theology; Peace & Conflict Transformation; Counselling; Community Development; Agriculture; Entrepreneurship; Marketing; Human Resource Management; Business Administration & Management; Purchasing and Business Logistics
Certificate and Professional Courses
- Certificates in ICT; Peace & International Relations; Counseling & Psychology; Media Studies; Business Management; Music; Community Development
- Professional courses include ACCA; CIPS; CPA; CIFA; Certified Secretaries (CS); Accounting & Management Skills and others
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