Human Interest Rwandan social worker looks forward to meaningful homecoming after earning MBC degree By Dawn Medley
“She never hesitated to meet someone new.” “She was a voice for international scholars who are so grateful just for the opportunity to learn.” “Her thoughtful approach inspired other students to think carefully about information and issues before responding. Her very presence inspires others to think about things in a different way.”
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dmiration of Berra Kabarungi spills naturally from Mary Baldwin College faculty, staff, and students. The former Rwandan refugee was more than an international student. She did more than attend classes and earn solid grades in her non-native language. Kabarungi uprooted her successful career and her life in 2011 for a new identity as a full-time student at a small, liberal arts women’s college that was unknown to her until a few months before she arrived on campus. She made every moment count. “There is not a single experience in my life, and particularly those at Mary Baldwin, that has not contained within it a lesson,” Kabarungi said early in her tenure at MBC. “I continually experience things that remind me that life itself is a school.” Throughout seven semesters at MBC, Kabarungi never wavered from a philosophy she conveyed shortly after arriving in the United States: “When a door for change appears, I am not intimidated by it. I am ready. I prepare myself for the next step.” With cheers from friends and family — including her husband, Janvier Gakwaya,
who moved to Staunton to support her education — Mary Baldwin sent Kabarungi off to her next “open door” May 18 as a member of the Class of 2014.
Change Agent
Kabarungi leaves Mary Baldwin transformed — from her growing skills in social science research to her expanded wardrobe of cold-weather clothing. But in many ways, Berra has also become more intensely “Berra,” shaping those around her just by being herself. Staunton resident Louisa Dixon was one of the first people Kabarungi met as she settled into life on campus in January 2011. “I have a very clear memory of our first face-to-face meeting. Both Berra and Janvier exuded friendliness and character,” said Dixon, who served as local host for Kabarungi and her husband. Former Mary Baldwin director of international programs Heather Ward connected the pair with Dixon — who is well-versed in French, a language in which Gakwaya is fluent.
The couple lived independently, first on campus and later in a house within walking distance, and Dixon and her family and friends hosted them for holidays, accompanied them to church, and involved them in social activities. “Over the years, our friendship has deepened to the point that we truly feel they are part of our extended family,” Dixon said. Former country director in Rwanda for the global women’s advocacy organization Women for Women International, Kabarungi was invited to study at Mary Baldwin on a full scholarship. She enrolled in a wide variety of courses and took advantage of every available opportunity to deepen her understanding in her major, social work. “Berra has been involved in the Social Work Club’s activities at a nearby homeless shelter, child care center, and adult day care center. She is eager to learn and open to anything that comes her way,” said Mary Clay Thomas, assistant professor of social work and Kabarungi’s academic advisor. Thomas explained that Kabarungi brought “an unprecedented international focus” to the social work program and that her presence highlighted MBC’s diverse, inclusive environment. “Most of all, Berra is a delightful woman to know and teach. I will truly miss her,” Thomas said. The dozens of students with whom she bonded had similar reflections about the driven, yet endearingly intimate Kabarungi. Instead of detailing how they helped her acclimate to life in the states, they unfailingly described how she enriched their undergraduate experience. “Seeing Berra’s passion for learning reminds me that education is not something to be taken for granted. To her, it was the ultimate privilege,” said junior Cassandra Matondo. She got to know Kabarungi through faith-based events on campus, which point to Kabarungi’s strong Christian devotion, another of her defining characteristics.
We’re for Women Berra Kabarungi’s MBC education was part of the college’s partnership with the global women’s advocacy group Women for Women International, which also includes: n An active student group, Changemakers for Women, that coordinates events and holds fundraisers to support women survivors of war in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria, and Iraq n A current member of the Mary Baldwin College Board of Trustees and 2009 Commencement speaker, Karen Sherman, who recently served as executive director for global programs at Women for Women
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Summer 2014
PHOTO BY LINDSEY WALTERS
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