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After two years in the making, Oklahoma Christian University held its first international commencement ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda.
On Saturday, March 29, a class of 38 Rwandans were the first Oklahoma Christian graduate students to receive their Masters of Business Administration degrees without setting foot in Oklahoma.
The current MBA degree in Rwanda is an online program that allows students earn their education and degrees without having to leave the country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited Oklahoma Christian in 2006 to establish the Presidential Scholars Program – the program that initially sent graduate level Rwandan students to Oklahoma Christian. Since that visit, the university has made a concerted effort to maintain and strengthen a relationship with the country.
Associate Director for the Graduate School of Business Angela Kopy was one of the professors who helped Ken Johnson, the director of the MBA program, form the graduate program for Rwanda.
“We’ve always had a relationship with the Rwandans,” Kopy said. “Three to four years ago we started … the presidential scholarship, that four or five students would come over here and complete their MBA, and we did that for a couple of years, and then we just decided to start the program over there so we could offer it all online.”
According to Kopy, the students have a new sense of pride that comes with participating in a program such as Oklahoma Christian’s.
“They love the program, they were so excited to graduate and be a part of the first graduation ceremony,” Kopy said. “There’s a lot of pride for them to be part of the first class that went through graduation, but they were very proud to be a part of OC and to kind of take things overseas and make it home over there as well as it is over here.”
Kopy said the university is proud to have programs that could impact people around the world.
“We are very excited to be given this opportunity to be over there,” Kopy said. “It’s not easy, but we’re glad they provided us the space and the kind of things for the opportunity.”
Currently there are 60 students in the program.
Graduate student Jeanne D’Arc Uwimana came to Oklahoma Christian in January from Rwanda, and said she is glad that Oklahoma Christian pursues the program and a sense of community with the international students.
“It makes me very happy that Rwandans are gaining the knowledge, and us too,” Uwimana said. “I hope that they get something good from it.”
Senior Robert Rugamba is also from Rwanda, and emphasized that the MBA program is a positive force for his home country.
“I think that it’s really good,” Rugamba said. “I like the fact that OC is open in Rwanda. It shows a really good, strong connection. In fact I think it’s raising the standards in education in Rwanda.”
Even more than a connection, Rugamba added, the program is expanding their horizons.
“The fact that they have it right at home, that means you can do it and still do other things,” Rugamba said. “You don’t have to just come and live all your life or just come for one year. You can just stay and do it from there, you can do it online, you can do other things, you can still see your family.”
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