From Nairobi to CNN: How USIU's Media Program Launched Lydia Achieng's Global Journalism Career
From Nairobi to CNN: How USIU's Media Program Launched Lydia Achieng's Global Journalism Career
By the Department of Media & Communication, USIU-Africa
4/20/20252 min read
When Lydia Achieng walked into her first class at USIU-Africa’s Department of Media and Communication, she had one dream: to tell stories that matter. What she didn't expect was how fast her classroom experience would turn into real-world opportunities that would eventually land her in the CNN newsroom.
From Classroom to Creative Lab
"I thought university would be all theory," Lydia recalls. "But from the first semester, we were in the Creative Lab, producing actual content. My first vodcast episode wasn’t perfect, but it changed how I saw myself. I wasn’t just a student. I was a storyteller."
At USIU, Lydia co-hosted The Creative Lab, a student-produced vodcast exploring issues in African pop culture, media ethics, and youth identity. She worked behind the camera and on the mic, learning to write, direct, edit, and present.
Real-World Exposure
USIU’s strong network with media houses gave Lydia access to internships at Nation Media Group and later, a digital fellowship with Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie. It was through one of these workshops that a CNN producer noticed her storytelling instincts and multimedia versatility.
"They loved that I could write for web, script for video, and speak confidently on camera," she says. "And honestly, it was my USIU assignments that trained me for that."
Global Connections, Local Roots
Today, Lydia works as a Digital Content Associate at CNN Africa, producing human interest features and social first news videos. But she still mentors’ final year students at USIU and contributes to the Digital Skills Hub, creating tutorials on mobile journalism.
Her advice to aspiring media students?
"If you want to create, lead, and matter in media, USIU is the place. The faculty push you, the facilities are world class, and the opportunities are real."
From the Lab to the World
Lydia's story isn’t just about personal success. It represents the kind of transformation USIU-Africa makes possible—where learning meets opportunity, and voice becomes impact.
Want to follow in Lydia’s footsteps?
Because at USIU-Africa, media education is more than a degree, it’s your launchpad to the world.