{"id":102050,"date":"2025-05-25T18:09:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T18:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwandans-graduate-from-oklahoma-christian-university"},"modified":"2025-05-25T18:22:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T18:22:19","slug":"rwandans-graduate-from-oklahoma-christian-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/culture-and-art\/rwandans-graduate-from-oklahoma-christian-university","title":{"rendered":"Rwandans Graduate from Oklahoma Christian University"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Thirty-five Rwandan students graduated with Master\u2019s degrees from Oklahoma Christian University in Kigali on Saturday, May 24. Among them were graduates in Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Project Management and Master of Science in Engineering.<\/p>\n

John Osborne, a professor and Director of International Programs at Oklahoma Christian University, encouraged graduates to apply their education towards making a positive impact in their communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to educate, mentor, and inspire learners, not only to make a living but to serve and uplift your communities,\u201d Osborne said.<\/p>\n

Jeff Simmons, the Dean of the College of Business at Oklahoma Christian University, delivers his remarks at the graduation ceremony.<\/p>\n

He noted that the university\u2019s partnership with Rwanda dates back to 2006, when the Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program was launched. This initiative, created by President Paul Kagame and Oklahoma Christian\u2019s former president Mike O\u2019Neal, originally offered scholarships to 10 Rwandan undergraduates each year to study in the United States in fields like engineering and business.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs successful as that programme was, we wanted to serve more Rwandans. In 2012, we expanded to include graduate students studying right here in Kigali. Since then, the partnership has grown and flourished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Osborne explained a recent collaboration with I&M Bank to develop funding mechanisms that will help more Rwandan students access higher education. \u201cThis was a first-of-its-kind programme in Rwanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmong the graduates was the university\u2019s only Master of Science in Engineering student for the year, showing the programme\u2019s expanding reach beyond business studies. Oklahoma Christian University plans to launch a U.S-accredited undergraduate degree in Business Leadership and Technology in Rwanda next year, aiming to prepare students for the global marketplace,\u201d Osborne explained.<\/p>\n

In 2026, the university will mark 20 years of partnership with Rwanda, with a special celebration planned in Kigali.<\/p>\n

Anitha Ingabe, a leader in digital transformation and an alumna of Oklahoma Christian University, shared her journey to inspire the new graduates.<\/p>\n

\u201cTen years ago, I was sitting where you are now. Graduating with an MBA in 2015 felt like the start of a bright future, but I was yet see how everything would unfold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officials during the colorful graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 24.<\/p>\n

Ingabe recalled an internship she had while a student, where she helped put courses online, a project that later became the foundation of the university\u2019s MBA programme in Rwanda.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was putting courses online as a student worker because I needed money, but I had no idea then that those courses would become the MBA programme you\u2019re taking today,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

After working in technology for two years, Ingabe returned to Rwanda and was hired to oversee the university\u2019s operations locally.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat role awakened a passion in me to use my tech skills to improve education,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Over the past seven years, Ingabe has seen how education at Oklahoma Christian University has transformed students\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember meeting students working late into the night on assignments. You made it through. Now I ask you: What will you do with this degree? Will it just be absorbed by life, or will you use it to create real value? This degree is a bridge to greater things,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Jeff Simmons, the Dean of the College of Business at Oklahoma Christian University, acknowledged the graduates\u2019 dedication and achievement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese students have studied hard over the past year or more, often alongside classmates from around the world. The MBA programme in Rwanda has produced more than 600 alumni, many of whom have gone on to make a difference in their communities,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n

“Our Rwandan students are among the best we have. In fact, some of today\u2019s graduates have outperformed many of their peers worldwide on a business knowledge assessment. We are very proud of their achievements,” he added.<\/p>\n

During the ceremony, five top graduates were inducted into Delta Mu Delta, an international honour society that recognises excellence in business education.<\/p>\n

Among them were graduates in Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Project Management and Master of Science in Engineering.<\/p>\n

Osborne explained a recent collaboration with I&M Bank to develop funding mechanisms that will help more Rwandan students access higher education.<\/p>\n

Parents and other participants follow the proceedings of the graduation<\/p>\n

The graduation ceremony took place at Serena Hotel.<\/p>\n

Thirty-five Rwandan students graduated with Master\u2019s degrees from Oklahoma Christian University in Kigali on Saturday, May 24.<\/p>\n\r\n