In this episode, Nancy shares how a friend looked out for her and helped her craft a strong resume and how networking opened the door to a paid summer internship in Arizona - An internship that resulted into a job offer before graduation. Nancy talks about the challenges of securing work permits and getting experience/internships while still in school

Nancy reflects on how the internship changed the way her school department viewed her, leading to more recognition which made her feel a certain type of way. She also opens up about graduation, the role of community, embracing change, and her plans for the future. The episode closes with an honest conversation about navigating the H1B visa process and green card applications.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories from international students.

#NancyUmutoniwase #InternationalStudentLife #InternshipSuccess #H1BVisa #GreenCardJourney #NetworkingTips #CareerDevelopment #DiversityInSTEM #StudentStories

In this episode, Nancy continues to share her journey as she recalls the 14-hour bus ride from Kentucky to West Virginia University (WVU).

She recalls feeling the reality of being independent as her mom was getting ready to leave her by herself. Faced with anxiety about adjusting, succeeding, and finding her place, she began to question if she could handle it all.

Things started to shift when she connected with a community of fellow Rwandan students—one of whom became like a big brother and helped her navigate the campus and the new reality of being an international student.

The adjustment wasn’t easy. Nancy reflects on the difficulty of adjusting to unfamiliar food and the challenge of managing her own routine and schedule for the first time. With no job and limited money, Nancy learned to budget using YouTube.

As she explored various academic paths, she eventually found her passion in mining engineering while also developing a deep interest in midwifery.

She shares an honest look at battling depression in her third year in college, the importance of leaning on friends and family, and how gratitude helped her find strength during tough times.

Nancy’s story is one of resilience and discovery.

#NancyWVU #ImmigrantJourney #CollegeLife #MentalHealthAwareness #BecomingYou

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 engineering as a major of choice in college.

A natural planner, Nancy shares how she leans on her faith to navigate the unexpected.

She closes out Part 1 by recalling her U.S. Embassy interview and the confidence her mother taught her to carry into every room. From school uniforms to bold dreams, Nancy’s story is one of growth, courage, and determination.

In the final episode of this inspiring series, Rubis reflects on the unexpected path his post-grad life took.

He shares how learning Spanish to impress a girl led to an internship in Colombia 🇨🇴, and how that experience shaped his next steps.

From graduating in the U.S. to navigating the job search, OPT process, and landing his first interview in New York—Rubis opens up about the highs, the hard lessons, and the hustle.

When the dream job didn’t come through, he pivoted—working jobs from hostel staff to valet—to make it work. Eventually, with his OPT expiring, he made the decision to move back to Rwanda.

Back home, Rubis talks about adjusting to the local job market, facing new challenges, and how the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.

The episode closes with a powerful conversation between Rubis and Christian about life, purpose, and what’s next.

In this episode, Rubis talks about why he wanted to go to College in the US - Dreams to play Basketball and in the NBA - his expectations and his reality when he arrived on campus.

Rubis and Christian, who both were at the same college, discuss about Rubis' transition and how Christian helped make it easier as his roommate.

Rubis discusses his early memories of racism in a statistics class and how that impacted him - realizing his blackness for the first time.

This conversation takes turns in a variety of topics ranging from finding your identity in different cultures (black vs Rwandan), Pan-Africanism and educating oneself about one's history.

Tune in for the full, funny and insightful conversation

In this episode, Rubis looks back on his early childhood memories growing up in Congo and fleeing to Rwanda in 1996. He also shares stories from his high school days and talks about how basketball had a big, positive impact on his life.

The episode—and the whole series—is a mix of Kinyarwanda and English.

In the final installment of the series, Kelly opens up about her post-grad school journey and her challenges entering the job market during the COVID-19 pandemic. She recalls using a volunteer opportunity at her alma mater to pause the countdown on her OPT—just four days shy of the deadline.

As Kelly reflects on navigating stress and anxiety during the pandemic, she shares the raw experience of her first-ever panic attack, and how having a close friend to lean on helped her navigate those turbulent moments.

She wraps up by highlighting the most important lesson she's learned about herself throughout this journey: resilience.

The conversation continues as Kelly, Jado, and Christian delve into a meaningful dialogue on mental health, self-care practices like hobbies, rest, journaling, and therapy, and discuss how to keep the conversation going within the broader community.

In Part 3 of the series, Kelly reflects on her journey of returning home and struggling with depression, which she coped with by diving into work and spending time at restaurants. She shares how she felt disconnected from cultural norms she didn’t necessarily align with anymore. This led Kelly to start journaling, giving her a way to process her emotions and make sense of her experiences.

Kelly also dives into her graduate school selection process, explaining what ultimately influenced her decision. Once in grad school, she highlights the importance of finding a supportive community of friends and classmates who played a key role in her journey.

She goes on to share captivating stories from her post-grad school job search, which coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The challenges she faced during this time, both personal and professional, summarize her resilience.

Tune in for an emotional rollercoaster, filled with personal insights, raw vulnerability, and Kelly's exceptional storytelling.

In this episode, Kelly opens up about her college experience at a Christian school, the challenges of navigating life after graduation, and the ups and downs of job hunting.

She reflects on how she discovered the difference between a professional and non-professional architectural degree and how it impacted her job prospects.

Kelly also shares how a serious injury during school tested her resilience, but ultimately brought her closer to a supportive community that helped her recover. She takes us on a journey through her unforgettable summer semester abroad in Italy and Spain, where she developed a deep love for classical architecture.

Throughout her job search, Kelly met incredible people who played a key role in shaping her personal and professional growth. She reflects on how each encounter and challenge has contributed to the person she is today.

Tune in for an inspiring and insightful conversation about overcoming obstacles, finding community, and following your passions.

In the first episode of this series, Kelly shares her experience attending a boarding school in the U.S. as an international student. She opens up about adapting to the American education system, overcoming language barriers, and navigating high school sports.

Kelly also reflects on the anxiety of college applications, the weight of expectations, and the challenge of finding a sense of belonging without a community to call her own.