Nancy Umutoniwase: Part 1 of 3: From Rwanda to WVU — A Journey of Faith and Family

In this episode, Nancy shares her inspiring journey from Rwanda to West Virginia. 🇷🇼✈️🇺🇸

She first arrived in the U.S. in 2014, landing in Kentucky with her mom and siblings before taking a 14-hour bus ride to Morgantown, WV. But her story begins much earlier. Nancy opens up about her experience at Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology—a place she didn’t want to attend at first but her dad talked her into giving it a shot for one year, and the rest is history.

At Gashora, Nancy was introduced to a world of leadership, academic possibilities, strong mentorship, and college counseling. Inspired by her sister who was already studying in the U.S., Nancy began exploring opportunities abroad. A visit from a WVU representative at Gashora helped her envision her next steps, and her father’s encouragement leaned her towards eng ...