From Claremont to Kampala: How to Found a Liberal Arts College in Uganda
Takako Mino '11 is an educator with 12 years of teaching experience and co-founder of the upcoming Musizi University in Uganda. Takako was born in Japan and grew up in the US. She obtained her Bachelor’s in International Relations from Claremont McKenna College and her PhD in Education from Claremont Graduate University.
One of her major turning points was studying abroad in Uganda and being deeply moved by the warmth and humanism of the Ugandan people.
After introducing a public debate program that reached 50,000 students in East Africa, Takako served as a high school English teacher in California public schools for 6 years. She lectured in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Ashesi University in Ghana for 5 years.
Takako's scholarship explores the role of education in cultivating humanity in young people. In 2022, she co-edited a book on integrating indigenous knowledges in higher education.
Elaine Alowo Matovu is an education entrepreneur and co-founder of The North Green School and the upcoming Musizi University. The North Green School is an affordable school, committed to giving a quality, value-based education to middle and lower-middle income families in Uganda.
From 30 students when it first opened in 2017, the school now has nearly 900 students and a steadily growing waiting list. Elaine is also a lawyer with extensive experience in engaging with startups, corporate law, and land acquisitions.
Elaine obtained her Bachelors in Law from Makerere University. As a mother of four children and a proud Ugandan, Elaine is deeply passionate about creating viable alternative education models within the Ugandan context.
Elaine is committed to conserving the environment and grooming young individuals who are intentional about making an impactful change in their communities. She has had a longstanding interest in exploring Uganda’s history and indigenous knowledges.