International Students Celebrate Accomplishments at International Graduate Banquet
Thursday, April 19, international students gathered in the Montview Alumni Ballroom to be recognized for their accomplishments for the 2018 International Graduation Banquet.
School of Nursing Instructor and International Nursing Student Support Coordinator Catherine Raj encouraged the graduates through her testimony. She shared from Mark 5:27-29 about the woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years and was healed by Jesus.
“Graduates, you will have times when there are challenges,” Raj said. “Whatever it takes, stretch out and touch the garment of Jesus until power leaves him.”
Raj went to her first class of nursing school when she was 40 years old. Now, 14 years later, she is well into her doctorate and a “mama” to many international students studying nursing.
“We try to choose a guest speaker who has helped our students along the way,” International Student Center Operations Coordinator and Office Manager Tunya Pannell said. “We also have one of our guest speakers who is an alumni.”
Guest speaker and alumnus from Nigeria Amos Adebayo spoke to graduates as someone who could identify with their current season.
“A mentor of mine once said, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second-best time to plant a tree is now,” Adebayo said. “It is never too late to start planting and preparing for the future.”
As the night continued, two screens displayed a photo of each graduate, their favorite Bible verse, their name, country and flag. The sit-down dinner included salad, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, steamed broccoli and chicken, all catered by Sodexo.
“For the entertainment, I always like to choose a group that has somebody that’s graduating,” Pannell said.
The Ntibonera’s performed “Set A Fire” by Jesus Culture as well as “Our God” by Chris Tomlin with Emmanual Ntibonera on the keyboard, Baraka Ntibonera on the drums and graduate John Ntibonera on the guitar.
“After graduation, I’m planning to get a job and start working as well as travel with my band singing and preaching the gospel,” John Ntibonera said. “I’m just really excited to graduate and get my degree in government politics and policy. It’s really an amazing thing.”
Associate Director of International Student Programs Sharon Bloomfield and Coordinator of Latin American Recruit Athos Lucchini presented each graduate with a gift. According to Pannell, they always gift something to help students remember their time at Liberty.
In addition to the gifts, students had the opportunity to take pictures at the provided “Grinnin’ Booth” where they were instantly given their photo strips as a keepsake.
“Just to see how they’ve grown, to see how they mature and how the Lord has worked in their lives is so amazing and to see them get that Christian foundation here,” Pannell said.
Graduate student Sonia Gwaneza came to Liberty University from Rwanda and has learned to serve her community – a quality she would like to take back home.
“I want to eventually start my dream of advocating for the maternal and child health population, and I also want to eventually go home and work from there,” Gwaneza said. “That’s like my big dream. I want to build a hospital there and start a really good public health program.”