by Divine Mbabazi | IANR Media
Lincoln, Neb. —
Hometown: Kigali, Rwanda
Major: Integrated Science
Anticipated Date of Graduation: May 20, 2023
Why did you decide to come to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and what have been some of the highlights of your time here?
UNL is a leading institution in Agriculture and that was what I wanted to study. Learning from the diverse faculty and meeting people from around the world have been the two most important highlights of my time here.
What inspired you to pursue a degree in Integrated Science, and how do you hope to apply what you've learned in your future career?
Integrated Science gave me the opportunity to have interdisciplinary knowledge of all things Ag-related. For example, you get to know the parts of a vegetable, what kind of climate it grows in, how it grows, and its use in the human body. As an aspiring food policy maker, understanding the basics of agriculture allows you to make sustainable decisions and policies around food.
As an international student, what has your experience been like studying in the United States? Have you faced any particular challenges or had any unique opportunities because of your background?
I would not specifically call everything I experienced as challenges but as lessons. Coming to a brand new country, everything is difficult to get used to or sometimes to even understand, but after 4 years, everything eventually became easier to navigate.
What are some of the most important lessons you've learned during your time at UNL, either inside or outside the classroom?
The most important lessons I learned during my time at UNL are resilience and patience. For the first few months as I mentioned above, everything was hard to navigate, but if you are resilient and have patience in the process, you get there eventually. I also loved everything I learned from my plant science class with Dr. Don Lee, truly the best.
How have you been involved on campus during your time at UNL? Are there any extracurricular activities or organizations that have been particularly meaningful to you?
I was part of many Rwandan student organizations on Campus. RSA or Rwanda Students Association was one of them. It organizes an annual event “ Rwanda Night” which brings together Rwandans on campus, UNL faculty and staff, and Rwandans from other parts of the country together for a night to celebrate the beauty of the Rwandan culture. This event was especially meaningful to me because I got less homesick.
What scholarships, if any, have you received?
I was part of the CASNR Undergraduate Scholarship Program (CUSP Scholarship)
What are your plans post-graduation?
After graduation, I am going back to Rwanda. I have already accepted an offer to work. Most importantly, I’ll be close to family again.
Finally, as you prepare to graduate and move on to the next phase of your life, what are you most excited about, and what do you think you'll miss the most about UNL and Nebraska?
I am very excited to start a new chapter of my life, to dive into the unknown if you will! I will miss so many things about UNL, especially the food at Selleck. I will miss walks through the Antelope Valley and the Lincoln weekend nightlife! But most importantly, the people I met and became great friends with at UNL!