Raymond Musiima is a 2025 recipient of the Homer Higbee International Education Award, which is presented to MSU students and volunteers who have made significant contributions to support global learning, intercultural awareness and an overall appreciation for the opportunities that occur through international engagement. 

Musiima first arrived at MSU from Uganda in 2019 for a four-week exchange through the MSU Alliance for African Partnership’s, or AAP’s, Professional Fellows Program. His experience as a Global Spartan was so profound, he returned a short time later to pursue his MBA in finance from the Broad College of Business where he is currently a full-time student. 

During his time at MSU, Musiima has worked closely with Derek Tobias, the program manager for AAP, on several programs that promote international exchange and professional development opportunities for students in Uganda and the U.S.  

“I want to become a role model for many young people in the developing world who are less privileged to succeed in education,” Musiima said.  

“When I lost my father at the age of 11, my mother struggled to keep me and my siblings in school… I experienced a series of school changes. My mother was determined that her son would rather attend a ‘cheap’ school than be without schooling all together.” 

In Tobias’s nomination letter he wrote, “Raymond conceptualized, secured funding for, and implemented a number of educational and leadership development programs…. Through these programs, Raymond demonstrated both his commitment to international education and exchanges as well as the positive impact such programs can have by transforming thousands of lives across Africa and in Michigan.” 

Musiima is a committed leader whose work improves the lives of more people than he may ever know. 

After he completes his MBA this spring, Musiima plans to find a job where he will use his salary to support more children (to attend school) whose background is similar to his. 

 When asked what receiving the Higbee award means to him, Musiima responded, “It’s the greatest honor of my life. It’s not just for me, but for every girl, boy, woman, man, mother, and child that is less privileged and marginalized. This award proves that boundaries do break.” 

Musiima is an integral part of the Spartan community—whether he’s supporting professional exchanges such as the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute on Civic Engagement as he did last summer or writing and publishing his reflections about the experiences he’s had with the broader community, or working with a local high school, AAP and the African Studies Center to create a virtual exchange for high school students in Lansing and Uganda, Musiima always finds opportunities to engage with those around him to share his enthusiasm for international education.  

“International exchange has always been about curiosity and the desire to meet and know people, helping myself and others unlearn our biases about other people, cultures and societies to build bridges of empathy and inspire a more compassionate world,” Musiima said.