SNHU GEM and partners Kepler and Jesuit Refugee Service Kenya held ceremonies in Nairobi and Kigali to celebrate the new graduates.
This fall, Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM) and our in-country partners Kepler and Jesuit Refugee Service Kenya (JRS Kenya), gathered in Kigali, Rwanda and Nairobi, Kenya to celebrate the Class of 2023 graduates. 163 displaced learners received their diplomas and celebrated their accomplishments with their classmates and families. Paul LeBlanc, SNHU President, and Rachael Sears, SNHU Vice President of Global Initiatives and SNHU GEM Executive Director, attended both ceremonies to join in commemorating the achievements of our newest alumni.
The Class of 2023 is filled with dedicated and highly skilled students who are committed to helping others. “We graduate so we can give back to the community,” says Alcade Fabrice Uwonkunda, who graduated with a BS in Healthcare Management with a concentration in Global Health Perspectives from SNHU GEM and Kepler in Rwanda. He plans to use his degree to improve health literacy in his community and to educate people about preventive measures like vaccinations.
Alexia Umugwaneza, a SNHU GEM and JRS Kenya student who earned her BA in Communications, accepted a job as a program assistant for a non-government organization working in South Sudan. Her goal is to become an advocate for refugees, “a voice for the voiceless” who reminds international decisionmakers of an important truth: “That refugees are also human beings; that refugees can have access to education, and equal rights.”
Equipped with their U.S.-accredited university degree and hands-on experience in their chosen field, SNHU GEM alumni have access to more options and choices to determine their future. In Rwanda, 90% of students of the Class of 2023 were employed at the time of their graduation. And they are not alone – 88% of SNHU GEM learners are employed within six months of graduation. Whether they choose to continue their education, start their own businesses, or find career opportunities across the globe, SNHU GEM graduates are well-supported as they embark on the next steps of their journeys.
We are so proud of this incredible group of students, and are looking forward to watching them transform lives at scale. Congratulations, graduates!
