From Kigali to the summit of educational heights, Billy Ndengeyingoma, a twenty-year-old Rwandan, was recently elected Vice-President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Undergraduate Association (UA). The Association represents a little over four thousand undergraduates within the university. Who is Billy The youngest child in a family of five, Billy was groomed to love education right from childhood. “Our parents made many sacrifices to give us a quality education and foster our dreams,” Billy says. The results of their dedication are evident: His elder siblings pursued higher education abroad and now hold Master’s degrees. Thus Billy was adequately prepared to follow in his siblings’ footsteps. His journey started right from Rwanda, at the Belgian School of Kigali, where he studied for thirteen years. It was at the Belgian School of Kigali that he fell in love with the science discipline that would form a firm foundation for his dream university course. “I can never underestimate the guidance and support of my family and teachers who facilitated my college application process. I chose MIT because I hoped to supplement my interest in design with an understanding of Engineering,” adds Billy, now in his third year in the department of Civil Engineering. Joining UA Starting his sophomore year, he became an active member of the Undergraduate Association through the Committee on Education, which Shruti Sharma, the UA president-elect, was also involved with. The committee is in charge of improving the MIT educational experience by leading policy initiatives and organising programmes to facilitate student and faculty interactions outside of the classrooms. Next, Billy and Shruti decided they would run together for the Undergraduate Association’s top office. “By running for UA President and Vice-President, Shruti and I were hoping to influence other facets of the undergraduate experience. When we take up office next academic year, we shall focus on increasing student input in the online education movement, improving faculty, advising and mentoring as well as providing recommendations for long-term campus planning,” Billy explains. Future Plans After graduation, Billy plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Architecture. With the continued support of his family and the assistance of the Students Financing Agency of Rwanda, he is confident he will reach this goal. “Studying Architecture after a Bachelors in Civil Engineering will unearth the interplay between the design processes of Engineers and Architects,” Billy hopes. His long term goals are to engage in international development and to implement rapid, sustainable and affordable methods of infrastructure expansion. Name: Billy Ndengeyingoma Age: 20 years POSITION: Vice-President Undergraduate Association UNIVERSITY: Massachussets NATIONALITY: Rwandan COURSE: Civil Engineering MOTIVATION: Family and teachers FUTURE PLANS: Pursuing a Master’s degree in architecture SUPPORT: Students Financing Agency of Rwanda
