PROJECT AKILAH INC

THE AKILAH INSTITUTE OPENED IN JANUARY 2010 AS THE FIRST WOMEN'S COLLEGE IN RWANDA. IN 2020, WE CHANGED OUR NAME TO DAVIS COLLEGE AND EXPANDED OUR PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE YOUNG MEN. AKILAH REMAINED A UNIQUE INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN WITHIN DAVIS COLLEGE. MORE THAN 6,000 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM OUR DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS. WE ARE NOW EVOLVING OUR MISSION IN A NEW DIRECTION, ENDING OUR TECHNICAL DIPLOMA PROGRAMS IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. WE CLOSED OUR CAMPUS IN DOWNTOWN KIGALI AND MOVED INTO A BEAUTIFUL NEW LOCATION IN NYARUTARAMA. OUR LAST 268 DIPLOMA STUDENTS GRADUATED IN DECEMBER 2023. IN 2024, WE STARTED OFFERING NON-ACCREDITED PROGRAMS IN CONTEMPLATIVE LEADERSHIP TO OUR ALUMNI IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUED PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL FLOURISHING. THE FIRST EVENT TO KICK OF OUR ALUMNAE PROGRAMMING TOOK PLACE ON JUNE 22, 2024. WE WILL BEGIN THE R&D PROCESS FOR NEW BACHELOR'S DEGREES WITH A FOCUS ON A LIBERAL ARTS MODEL IN THE HUMANITIES. IN 2026, WE WILL REAPPLY FOR ACCREDITATION AS A GENERAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITY. A NEW MISSION THE NAME AKILAH COMES FROM THE SWAHILI WORD FOR WISDOM. SINCE 2010, OUR PURPOSE HAS BEEN TO EMPOWER YOUNG LEADERS TO BUILD LIVES OF MEANING AND PURPOSE. WE ARE CREATING A NEW MODEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE LIBERAL ARTS ROOTED IN A CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATIVE TRADITION WITH A FOCUS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATIVITY. THE LIBERAL ARTS INSTEAD OF TRAINING A STUDENT FOR A PARTICULAR PROFESSION OR TECHNICAL VOCATION, A LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE TEACHES FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION EXPOSES STUDENTS TO A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, ENCOURAGING THE DISCOVERY OF NEW INTERESTS, AND DEVELOPING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY MINDSET AND CRITICAL THINKING. STUDENTS GAIN DEEP, HOLISTIC KNOWLEDGE THAT IS TRANSFERABLE ACROSS MANY DISCIPLINES AND POTENTIAL CAREER PATHS. LIBERAL ARTS DEGREES ARE RESPECTED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO FOSTER: "ANALYTICAL, CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING "ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS "PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS "INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS "ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING SKILLS "THE ABILITY TO POSE MEANINGFUL QUESTIONS "SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SELF-UNDERSTANDING EMPOWERED WITH AN AKILAH EDUCATION, OUR GRADUATES WILL BE POISED FOR SUCCESS IN ANY CAREER FIELD AND THE ABILITY TO LEARN ANY TECHNICAL OR JOB- SPECIFIC SKILLS. OUR GOAL IS TO INSTILL OUR STUDENTS WITH AN INSATIABLE LOVE OF LEARNING AND CURIOSITY. A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION IS EDUCATION FOR LIFE. A RECENT STUDY BY DELOITTE REPORTED THAT HUMANITIES EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT SUPERIOR CRITICAL THINKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. ERNST AND YOUNG HAVE REPORTED THAT EMPLOYERS ARE PLACING HIGHER VALUE ON CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM-SOLVING AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION THAN VOCATIONAL SCHOOLING WHEN RECRUITING RECENT GRADUATES. LIBERAL ARTS GRADUATES ARE OFTEN BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THE RIGOR OF POSTGRADUATE STUDY GIVEN THE FOCUS ON DEVELOPING HIGHER ORDER THINKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN THEIR UNDERGRADUATE STUDY. THE VALUE OF A LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE GOES WELL BEYOND ITS POTENTIAL TO AID YOUR FUTURE CAREER. A LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE PRODUCES WELL-ROUNDED, ARTICULATE GRADUATES WITH A LOVE OF LEARNING AND THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH EVERYTHING LIFE HAS TO OFFER ON A DEEPER LEVEL. BACHELOR'S DEGREES WE WILL LAUNCH NEW DEGREES IN PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, HISTORY, AND LITERATURE. RESIDENTIAL CAMPUS AFTER 15 YEARS OF RENTING FACILITIES, WE WILL DESIGN A PERMANENT CAMPUS IN A RURAL AREA OF RWANDA. THIS ALLOWS US TO CREATE A COMMUNITY CONNECTED TO NATURE WITH HOUSING FOR 1,000 STUDENTS.