From Uganda to Wall Street: James Musasizi’s journey with a Ugandan degree 

If critics are anything to go by, a Ugandan education and the graduates it churns out are a dime a dozen.

This is because the local education system has been lambasted for being colonial, heavily theoretical and ambiguous; aside from being exceedingly centered on passing written exams.

For the longest time, critics have called for reforms, voicing concerns about a half-baked- graduate-saturated market. Be that as it may, to disprove the erroneous narrative surrounding Uganda’s education; The Observer sat down with JAMES MUSASIZI an up-and-coming urban designer working for Beyer Blinder Belle, an architectural firm on Wall Street, to take us through his unique accomplishment that he pulled off with a degree from Makerere University.

Who is James Musasizi?

Born in 1995 to Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira and Faith Nakitende Luwalira, I’m the third of four children. I grew up on Namirembe hill in Kampala, and attended Sir Apollo Kaggwa, and Namirembe Infants primary schools.

I went to King’s College Budo and Mengo Senior School for my secondary education. Later, I joined Makerere University where I was awarded a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2021. Now I work at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners in New York City as an architect.

Why did you choose to become an architect, and who inspired you to become one?

Early on, I knew I loved to draw and had a curious mind that kept investigating the things I encountered; this was exacerbated when an old structure called the Kayanja Building at Namirembe was demolished only to be replaced with a parking lot. This left an everlasting impression on me on the cultural significance of buildings, and what it means when they are lost in time.

This was the beginning of my architectural journey that was galvanized by my now-deceased godfather Paul Lwebuga Kikule’s mentorship, along with the support of other experienced architects: Felix Holland, Anna Oursler, Neil Kittredge, Dr Kenneth Ssemogerere, Dr Lillian Namuganyi, and Dr Ian Senkatuka whose support has been invaluable in shaping my career.

Have you worked as an architect in Uganda? If so, what was your experience?

I had the opportunity to work as a graduate architect at Studio FH Architects, where I was involved in the designing and supervising of 32 Degrees East Arts Center in Kabalagala. This exposed me to a culture of collaboration and professionalism which is a great way to start off as a young architect.

A lot of our work was premised on building in a way appropriate to Uganda’s climate, culture, and socioeconomic context, and every project was an opportunity to test better ways of using local materials and building technology in exciting ways.

The main challenge I found was collecting data when designing at a larger scale [beyond a client’s plot of land] as there was no database to collect information on land ownership, wetland protection zones, vegetation mapping, planned transport modifications, and the like.

You work for Beyer Blinder Belle which is on Wall Street. How did you know about it?

I learnt about Beyer Blinder Belle in my  fourth year at Makerere through Anna Oursler, my lecturer, who worked at the firm. She had noticed my interest in urban design and was gracious enough to offer her time to guide me. After my graduation, she continued to follow up on my professional development and as soon as there was an opening for a Junior Urban Designer, she let me know.

At first, I was hesitant because the job was internationally advertised, but she was confident that I could compete on the global stage and emerge as the candidate of choice.

I then submitted my application, and I was invited for two interviews after which I was given an offer, and I started getting documentation to travel to the United States. At the center of my migration was: Architect-US, an organization that helps international architects who wish to work at USA firms, process immigration documentation.

What is the difference between working as an architect in Uganda and on Wall Street?

There has been a significant shift in terms of the types of projects, scale, budget, and composition of the project teams. I had to adjust to working in feet and inches as opposed to meters and millimeters, using software that I hadn’t used before; and understanding the conventions that are particular to the American context even when the building blocks of architecture remain the same.

What’s more, everything is systematic and functional, which means that overall productivity is much higher. Also, the turnover for some projects is short, which means that everyone has to work around the clock to meet the project deadline without compromising the quality of the product.

You mentioned Architect-US. What exactly does it do, and how much do you pay in subscription fees? Also, what advice would you give someone who wants to use this platform?

Architect-US is an organization that provides a specialized program designed to help international architects and engineers secure work opportunities in the USA by facilitating J1 Visa sponsorship and managing related paperwork.

They don’t charge a traditional subscription fee but require payment for their services when facilitating J1 Visa sponsorship. The fees start at $850, which covers the sponsorship of the visa and associated administrative tasks. This fee is a one-time cost.

Their service is valuable for those already having an offer or needing assistance finding a placement. I advise young architects looking to use this platform effectively to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria, prepare the required documents, and follow the application process diligently. I encourage interested applicants to use the helpful information on their website to prepare a strong job application.

Did it matter that you held a Makerere University degree during your job application?

Given that the hiring team was looking through applications from all over the world; I think my Makerere University degree played a part in their choice to shortlist me and it never came up during the interviews. Still, it’s worth noting from my experience that employers are usually more interested in a candidate’s soft skills during interviews, and not their academic degree(s) or skills training.

Can you confirm that your Makerere University degree alone, without additional foreign qualifications, merited you for your current role?

As far as academic qualifications are concerned, my Bachelor of Architecture degree alone was sufficient to meet the requirements of my current role. However, academic qualifications were not the only requirement as other factors like articulation of intention, relevant experience, and references played a role in the outcome.

The Ugandan education system has been called out for being old-fashioned, theoretical and subpar. Do you feel like the training you got from Uganda’s education put you at a disadvantage to compete at the highest level?

Many things can be said about Uganda’s education, but subpar is a gross mischaracterization. I have benefited from a well-rounded education involving literary exposure through school libraries, participation in the performing arts and sports through my time with the choir, and school clubs.

These experiences have made me a multi-faceted individual and have given me several skills which were helpful when studying architecture which demands a certain breadth of knowledge and depth of thought.

Nonetheless, I believe that our education system can be significantly improved to better meet our needs as a society today, which is probably why some people have called it old-fashioned and theoretical.

What elements instilled into you by our education system have set you apart as an architect at such a high level?

The vastness of what we are required to learn during school has made me knowledgeable about many things that I come across; for example, the things we learned about the geography of North America.

The extensive lineup of subjects available to choose from allowed me to pursue my interests, like drawing, while doing what many would deem a scientific course. This ability to draw has been one of the distinct qualities of my design approach to this day. The extracurricular activities we were encouraged to participate in have prepared me to work in teams and be expressive, a quality in high demand.

What aspects of the Ugandan education system infused into you have hindered you from excelling at the top level?

I have had to actively suppress my fear of being wrong because we were raised fearing the cane which was used to punish those who didn’t get the correct answer on the test. This manifests in several ways, sometimes as timidity towards someone in authority; or, in preferring to work in isolation until an idea seems refined enough to share.

In addition to that, in our education system, the instructor is always right and can never be questioned, and voicing of opinions is seen as disrespect to elders. In my experience on the international stage, I have frequently been required to give a counter view to a proposal, often in the presence of senior colleagues or even the client. This means that I have to articulate my position confidently regardless of my youth.

What advice would you give to a professional reading your story?

I would encourage them to discover what gives their life purpose because it will put everything else into perspective. They should focus on building relationships rather than having connections; the two may sound similar but are hugely different because one comes from a sincere place, and the other implies transaction. Good relationships make you better and help you reach your destination, but bad ones have the opposite effect.

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