Graduation with your WHOLE family!

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We caught up with Academic and Sports Scholar, Kaaya Kavuma, on his graduation day where 16 members of his family flew in from across the world to celebrate with him.

What attracted you to studying at Kent?

The areas of beautiful scenery, big fields and open air made the choice a little easier for me, it was a city that I knew I would enjoy living in for the next three years of my life.

I was also drawn by the vast international community that Kent offers. I have always enjoyed learning about new cultures and meeting people from countries around the world. Knowing I could be in a university where I would interact with people from different backgrounds and beliefs really excited me.

Plus, the prestige that the sports teams at the university I’d already heard of. Sports has always been an integral part of my life playing lots growing up, I wanted to continue, playing, and helping where I can, and Kent offered a brilliant Sport Scholarship scheme.

I received a Kent Sports Scholarship in my second year due to my contributions to my rugby union club in Uganda, the Stanbic Black Pirates, which was a tremendous help for me, The amount of support that the Kent Scholarship scheme provided will forever be appreciated by me as the development and assistance they provided were pivotal in helping me get call ups for the Ugandan national team, the Rugby Cranes.

How would you describe your lecturers? What do you think about the level of support in your studies?

The lecturers I had the pleasure to be taught and helped by throughout my time at the University of Kent cannot be put into words. They provided me with a lot of support during my time, starting from my foundation year, through the COVID-19 pandemic and all the way through until I graduated.

I received an academic scholarship during my foundation year at the university and was part of the January intake of the foundation year scheme. The advice given, meetings for further help as well as the simple one-on-one conversations to check on my wellbeing are just the surface of why I am so grateful and appreciative to the lecturers at the University of Kent.

Which modules have you enjoyed the most, and why?

Being such a huge sports fan, I really enjoyed learning about Sports Law in my second year. The module opened up a new perspective to me, in how to look at sports, the way sports are played around the world, and the various regulations put in place to ensure that the integrity of each sport was upheld. Most importantly, being surrounded by other people who shared the same passion for sport, allowed for me to expand my perspective.

How would you describe your fellow students?

My fellow students would best be described as very hardworking, driven, and passionate people. My friends and fellow students are a large factor in what helped push me throughout my time at the University of Kent. All of whom were more than ready to lend a helping hand wherever they could, giving advice in situations where I was stuck and providing valuable council, support, and guidance in how best to deal with the various adversities that I may have faced.

What are your subject facilities like?

The facilities at Kent Law School are very good. The lecture halls provide lots of space and a good environment to take in the information lecturers were giving. What some people may see as small things, such as the use of microphones and multiple projectors, made it very easy to learn. Equally the resources made available in the law library, as well as online library resources, were very beneficial in allowing me to access the information necessary to further help my learning.

What career do you hope to follow when you leave, and why?

Given my passion for sport I would like to continue to work and develop my legal career in the UK in Sports and Entertainment law.

Following the Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity Law module I studied in my final year, I also grew a passion for this and considering the growing nature of technological advancements in the world, it is a new and interesting industry that I would like to deepen my legal knowledge and experience of.

What about the campus social life? Are you part of any societies?

I played in both the First XV and the Second XV of the University of Kent Men’s Rugby Club over my three-year course. Playing with the team was very rewarding, I learnt a lot from my teammates and coaches, further enhancing my development as a player on the pitch as well as learning how to better deal with the mental aspect of being an athlete.

In my final year, I was the Welfare Officer in the East African Society which I was a part of since my foundation year. It was a rewarding role, meeting and connecting with lots of East Africans and other members within the society and being able to lend a friendly ear when we met for our various events as well as in day-to-day interactions.

Equally, as a committee it was a tough but successful year following the introduction of our open mic nights allowing students to showcase their talents ranging from singing, rapping, poem reading and other forms of expression.

Committee members work hard putting together events, open mic, movie nights, games, chapati and chai night, all means of getting society members to connect, socialise and meet the committee and others, that may have otherwise been difficult to do. We also organised our annual Kelele fashion show involving various clothes designers showcasing their designs and networking with students to further market their talents.

What’s your favourite memory of your time at Kent?

Picking just one is very difficult, as Kent has given me so many memories that I will cherish forever. One of my fondest memories is winning the Men’s Rugby league in the 2022/2023 season as well as winning the Cup Final in 2021/2022.

The fondness of these memories isn’t from the act of winning the cups, they are a symbol for the teammate bond and camaraderie within my team of Kent Men’s Rugby Club. Playing with this team since my foundation year, I was blessed to meet and work with a lot of very good sportsmen, and build strong connections with them, connections that I know will last a lifetime.

Want to know more about law at Kent?

Our distinctive critical approach puts learning about law within the wider context of society. Our teaching excellence, world-class research, and award-winning law clinic create an intellectually stimulating environment in which to study the law.