The Evolution of Davis College and Our Future
A letter from our Founders
In 2008, my friend Dave Hughes and I decided to open a women’s college in Rwanda.
Since moving to Kigali in 2006, we had met countless young women bursting with passion for rebuilding their country, but the limited opportunities for higher education stifled their dreams.
We spent thousands of hours listening to local leaders describe their vision of vibrant businesses in technology, hospitality, conservation, and digital marketing, all industries that were in a nascent stage.
In 2010, we opened the Akilah Institute for Women with 2-3 year diplomas in hospitality, information systems, entrepreneurship, and business management.
Akilah founding team, January 2010
In 2020, we expanded our mission to include young men and changed our name to Davis College, while Akilah remained a unique women’s institute within the college.
We have educated more than 6,000 students in our certificate and diploma programs. They are working in more than 300 companies across East Africa and around the world. They have founded more than 210 new ventures.
We won the prestigious WISE Award for education innovation, partnered with Google.org to scale our programs in Uganda and Kenya, and were featured in NPR for our award-winning women’s debate team.
Our model has the fingerprints of innumerable education experts, passionate donors and volunteers, and importantly, students who seized every opportunity to transform their lives and communities.
We have now reached a critical point of evolution.
In December, our last 268 diploma students graduated.
We closed our campus in downtown Kigali and moved to a beautiful new location in Nyarutarama.
Although the diploma programs have ended, we will continue offering leadership development programs for our alumni while we prepare to reopen as a degree-granting university.
Why are we doing this?
Rwanda has dramatically changed since 2008. When we opened, our courses were the first of their kind in the country. We offered a unique model and pathway to career success.
Today, the education landscape and economy is profoundly different.
Dave and I were 24 years old when Akilah opened. Today, we are very different people. Our philosophy of education and how to help young people live meaningful lives has evolved.
We have always taught our students to be fearless innovators and challenge the status quo.
We are now practicing what we preach and reinventing our model to better serve the young leaders of East Africa.
While our technical programs filled a critical need in the Rwandan workforce, we know that when provided with a holistic education, our students will thrive. A holistic education that empowers them with the critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills to build flourishing lives and careers.
Character development and emotional and spiritual intelligence have always been a cornerstone of our model. Degree programs provide more space for this content than diplomas.
A permanent campus
Since 2010, we have rented 3 beautiful campuses but now is the time to finally create our own home, a residential campus where students are immersed in their studies in a nourishing community.
A Season of Selah
Selah is a Biblical term that means ‘holy pause’. A season of Selah is an opportunity to step back, listen, and learn.
We will reinvent ourselves from a technical college to a university in collaboration with our alumni, employer and government partners, generous donors, and advisors.
Local leadership
While we design the new degree programs and develop our own campus, we will offer a variety of leadership programs for our alumni.
Courses in contemplative leadership, spiritual growth and communication will provide opportunities for the cultivation of wisdom as they navigate careers and parenthood.
It has been two years since I transitioned from CEO to Board Chair. Dave and I have a busy home with our kids, Lorraine, Tamsyn, and Elliot, and our goddaughter, Diane.
I’m in a season of motherhood that is better suited for strategic planning than operational management.
While I miss the daily work with my colleagues, I am deeply proud of our team and how they have navigated the relentless challenges of the past 3 years, especially the rapid pivot to online learning during Covid. They have fearlessly led the institution through a chaotic time and never wavered from serving our students and unlocking their glorious potential.
The first 14 years of Akilah and Davis College were magical. There’s no other word for it. We created a community and campus that buzzed with energy and compassion. We are deeply grateful for everyone who believed in us and our students.
I’ve lost count of how many times people have told me that they met an Akilah graduate in the workforce and said “There’s something different and special about them. They just glow.” It’s true.
I can’t define this magic in a formula. It was the combined effort of many people with contagious passion for our mission. I know that we can create this magic a second time.
“A society grows great when people plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
-Greek Proverb
We are all creating an institution that outlasts any one of us. We are laying the foundation of a university that will transform the lives of our great-great-great grandchildren. We look forward to sharing updates as we continue on this path of selah and reinvention.
With gratitude,
Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes
Co-Founder and Chair of the Board, Davis College and Akilah
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is happening?
Davis College is ending our accredited diploma programs in hospitality, information services, and entrepreneurship/business management. We are closing our campus in downtown Kigali and moving to a new location.
The Davis College and Akilah teams will offer a wide range of leadership programs for our 6,000 alumni, while also developing new academic programs for the future.
Why was this decision taken?
A lot has changed since Davis College and Akilah opened its doors 14 years ago. The past few years of rapid change and innovation have shown that to continue to deliver on our mission of Educating East Africa’s Leaders, our institution must evolve.
Is Davis College closing?
No. Our current campus is closing, and our diploma programs will not accept new intakes. The institution is not closing and remains a private organization in Rwanda, and the Davis Akilah Foundation remains a 501c3 nonprofit organization in the United States.
Our Registrar and Alumni teams will continue to provide support for all alumni.
For regulatory reasons, Davis College will de-register as an accredited technical college. We intend to apply for accreditation as a degree-granting university in the future.
What does this mean for my qualification?
There is no impact on your qualification.
Your Davis College / Akilah Diplomas will continue to be recognised and respected. Davis College will maintain a Registrar’s Office for ongoing support with transcripts and Diploma reprints, as well as to provide ongoing assurance to employers and other stakeholders of the standing and validity of your qualifications.
What support will Davis College continue to provide going forward?
Davis College will continue to operate a Registrar’s Office and Alumni Relations Department to provide ongoing support to alumni. Furthermore, we are in the advanced stages of developing a suite of offerings designed to further unleash the potential of our alumni and graduates. More details on these will be communicated soon, but they will entail a range of workshops, boot camps and seminars designed to build your network, and provide career, emotional and spiritual guidance.
What will happen to the Campus?
We will vacate our current campus in December 2023 and our team and programs will be located at #15 423 Street, Gacuriro, Kigali.
What happens next?
Davis College has formally notified the Higher Education Council of the decision to enter this period of pause and received the necessary approvals to do so.
We will host several opportunities for Alumni and other stakeholders to ask questions and get more information on our institution’s future in the coming months.
How can I stay in touch with Davis College?
Please contact us on the same email addresses, website and social media presences. Our Alumni Whatsapp groups will continue to operate, and a calendar for in-person gatherings will be shared in 2024.
Where can I get more information?
If you still have any questions or concerns, please email: registrar@daviscollege.com.