Tracey Mwende recognized early in her campus journey that true growth extended beyond academic achievements. Her drive to build connections, networks, and exposure to the professional world fueled her decision to actively pursue leadership roles.
Biography
- Served in KUPSA (2022) as the contact person between KUPSA and KEPhSA.
- Secretary General of KEPhSA (2023/24).
- Campus Ambassador for Kabarak to KEHSS (2023).
- Volunteer (2024–2026) at RESPEKT, working on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights advocacy, research, and education.
- Committee member for the 70th World Congress (2025) in Nairobi, Kenya, hosting pharmacists from across the world.
Profile
Early Motivation
Tracey Mwende recognized early in her campus journey that true growth extended beyond academic achievements. Her drive to build connections, networks, and exposure to the professional world fueled her decision to actively pursue leadership roles.
Path to Leadership
For Tracey, opportunity is not a matter of chance but intentional pursuit. She emphasizes the importance of placing oneself in spaces of growth, leveraging networks, and applying for leadership positions without fear of rejection. Her courage to seize these chances opened doors to significant roles.
Most Impactful Leadership Experience
Her time as Secretary General of KEPhSA remains a defining highlight. With a committed team, she successfully coordinated five physical events within one year, maximizing experiences while minimizing resource use. This sharpened her management, organizational, and financial stewardship skills.
Leadership Skills Gained
Through her diverse leadership journey, Tracey has built key skills:
- Teamwork and peer accountability.
- Bold leadership: decisive action even in the face of resistance.
- Organizational planning, risk assessment, and calm problem-solving.
Overcoming Challenges
Tracey openly acknowledges the setbacks she faced, including losing an election. Rather than discouraging her, these moments motivated growth and resilience. She stresses the importance of confidence, preparation, and accurate information in navigating big spaces.
Linking Leadership to Pharmacy
Her leadership experience has directly influenced her approach to pharmacy. She has developed the ability to connect with patients authentically, balance empathy with professionalism, and manage diverse patient needs holistically.
Role of Mentorship
Tracey attributes much of her success to her mentor, who guided her with encouragement, accountability, and opportunities. This mentorship reinforced her resilience and nurtured her leadership journey.
Balancing Academics and Leadership
Balancing leadership with academics is no small feat. For Tracey, success lies in creating a realistic schedule, prioritizing tasks weekly, and maximizing lectures for effective study time. Support from fellow student leaders has also helped her stay grounded.
Advice to Future Leaders
Her advice is simple yet profound: Just start. With confidence, communication skills, teamwork, integrity, and accountability, any student can step into leadership. She reminds peers that rejection and loss are not failures but stepping stones toward growth.\
