A delegation of eight members led by the Minister of Education (MINEDUC), Habumuremyi Pierre Damien this Friday visited the Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, where they spoke of the country’s continuing need to rebuild its higher education system in the wake of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
Habumuremyi pointed out that Hendrix College will perform a crucial role to uplift the future higher education of the Rwandans.
The program now includes 129 Rwandan students enrolled at 18 institutions across eight states in USA.
The Minister noted, “The quality of education you deliver to these students is very important to our country. We are here to cement our relationship and explore new areas of cooperation,” he said.
Habumuremyi also met with the Rwandan graduates this summer.
Among the delegates Prof. Silas Lwakabamba, Rector of the National University of Rwanda (NUR) noted, “We need to think strategically about how to build our capacities in higher education.”
Lwakabamba said that he hopes the delegation will continue to explore new ideas, including distance learning, remote library access, and faculty and administrative exchange programs.
President J. Timothy Cloyd of the Hendrix College noted, “We are very proud of our relationship and the partnership we have developed with the Republic of Rwanda. Not only does this support Rwanda’s vision for its future, it also benefits us”.
“Our students and faculty members grow because of their interactions with the Rwandan students and the friendships they forge with the Rwandan students,” Cloyd added.
Dr. Robert L. Entzminger, a Provost and Dean of the College, said the students’ success at Hendrix was a tribute to their talent and the way in which faculty members embraced the program and committed to its success.
Following a welcome ceremony on campus, the delegation toured the campus and observed the science teaching and research facilities. They also met with faculty and staff representatives.
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education. Hendrix is featured in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review as one of the country’s best 376 colleges and is listed in the 2012 edition of the Fiske Guide to College as one of 25 “Best Buy” private colleges included.
The campus has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884.
In 2007, Hendrix led the creation of the Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program, a partnership with the Rwandan government to enroll Rwandan students at colleges and universities in the United States.
The program is administered by Hendrix in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation.
The Hendrix led higher education consortium was the brainchild of David Knight, the chairman of the Hendrix College Board of Trustees.
Knight, the Chief Legal Counsel at Stephens Inc., worked with President J. Timothy Cloyd to begin Hendrix’s relationship, and both men have been instrumental in recruiting new colleges to the consortium during the past four years.
The first four Rwanda Presidential Scholars graduated from Hendrix in May 2011.
Source: Hendrix College website
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