STOW, Ohio — While Kent State University's College of Aeronautics and Engineering is known for training the next generation of pilots, it also may soon hold another recognition: helping build the aerospace economy in Rwanda.
Five students were selected from 2,600 applicants in Rwanda to train as pilots at Kent State as part of a new partnership between the school and the African country.
"I'm so grateful – I can't believe I'm doing this because it has been a dream since I was a child," student Milka Isingizwe said.
Once the students graduate in a couple of years, they will be ready to begin flying and training with RwandAir, the state-owned airline.
"They don't have the training infrastructure that we have in the United States," Associate Dean Mo McFarland said. "Many of those countries might be able to produce 300-400 pilots a year. They need 24,000 pilots over the next 20 years."
Rwanda is roughly the size of Massachusetts, with about double the population.
"They're looking to become the hub for sub-Saharan and central Africa," McFarland said.
"It's a country that has built itself up," student Cedric Hindura said. "We had one of the most tragic histories but we managed to put ourselves together, build from that and we've been developing at an outstanding rate."
The partnership is not a one-time arrangement.
Kent State is also in the process of rolling out a proposed campus in Rwanda, which would offer degrees in fashion design and fashion merchandising.
Back in 2022, Kent State began working with Rwanda, including opening a facility in Kigali to recruit students. The school estimated about 70 students from Rwanda are currently enrolled at Kent State.
Other major developments continue in Rwanda, including a new airport set to open in 2028.
"It will be on-par with a Detroit or a Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, serving about 14 million passengers a year," McFarland said.
Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
