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Rwandan Presidential Scholars

Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program
In 2000, the Government of National Unity in Rwanda issued and sought citizen support for Rwanda Vision 2020 as a blueprint for nation-building.

A significant element of that vision is the investment in the Rwandan people. Paragraph 9 of the Forward states, “At the core of our development process will be what constitutes Rwanda’s principal asset: its people. Human resources will be improved, so that Rwanda can become a knowledge-based economy.”

To further Rwanda Vision 2020, the Rwandan government and Oklahoma Christian University established a program to provide educational opportunities for qualified Rwandan citizens to study and obtain bachelor’s or master’s degrees at OC.

Ten students are selected each year from the best students in Rwanda and provided scholarships to study at Oklahoma Christian. There are currently 20 students from Rwanda studying at OC. The next group of Rwandan students will come to OC this summer. When they complete their studies, the students must return to Rwanda to help develop their country. The first group of students will return to Rwanda this summer to intern with companies and agencies in Rwanda.

As a Christian university, OC has demonstrated a strong interest and commitment to international understanding and development for many years, and has a particular desire to assist the Rwandan people. Rwanda recognizes that its people must have high-quality, value-centered education like that offered by Oklahoma Christian in order to raise the standard of living and quality of life of the Rwandan people, thereby fulfilling the aspirations of Rwanda Vision 2020.

Peace Through Business Program
The Peace Through Business program is accomplished through the cooperation of the U.S. State Department, the government of Rwanda, Oklahoma Christian University, the Academy for Leadership & Liberty, the Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women, and the Rwanda Outreach & Community Foundation. This program selects 15 female business leaders in Rwanda to travel to Oklahoma to participate in an intensive education and mentoring program.

Following three weeks of classwork at Oklahoma Christian, culminated by the creation of an in-depth business plan, the Rwandan women will be matched with American female business owners for a week of mentoring/shadowing. The Rwandan women will take what they learn back to Rwanda to use in their own businesses and to teach others how to be more entrepreneurial in their thinking.