BCCC Student To Return Home To Uganda | Eastern North Carolina Now

    At first Emily Rukundo thought it was a joke. Three months after earning her Bachelor's degree in Social Science, Rukundo's sister approached her sister with an opportunity to study in the United States through Friendship Force. The organization promotes goodwill around the world by providing opportunities for people to stay abroad. Not one to jump into unknown situations, Rukundo felt it was something she should do. Friendship Force member Phil Craig of Bath, NC bought her a plane ticket and arranged for her to stay with his family throughout the duration of her studies. She was hoping she could still find her family when she returned. She was leaving her life behind; leaving everyone she ever knew. When she went to the airport, she was unsure if Craig would actually be there, and that she had not just dreamed up this scenario.

    Two years after getting on that airplane, Rukundo pulled off a set of headphones following a Skype interview at the library of Beaufort County Community College (BCCC). She had just completed the first round of interviews with Global Public Health, an organization she hopes to work for in Uganda. The library offers this service to students and the public who need to conduct distance interviews. Global Public Health is based in New York City, NY, so Rukundo avoided a flight with the service.

Emily Rukundo, the first international student at BCCC, after her interview with Global Public Health.
    She is scheduled for a second-round interview, so if all goes well, she will be back in Uganda this June after receiving an Associate's degree in Human Services from BCCC. Her goal is to help those who need the most help. She hopes to work with children who have lost their parents to AIDS, helping them with health programs and guidance. Global Public Health is guided by the idea that every human being has a right to healthcare.

    Her studies where sponsored by the Rotary Club so as a result, Rukundo only paid in-state tuition. She spent part of her time working at the Boys and Girls Club in Washington. Runundo said, "Children need your attention ever single minute. It's challenging to always have your eye them." She wanted to be an inspiration to them. "It is your future," she tells them. "You can accomplish all the same things that I have." Confident, driven and passionate about her work, it is hard to imagine a better role model.

    One of the things she was surprised to find when she came to Beaufort County was the division between people. She noticed it especially in the churches: people of different races did not go to church together. "I thought it would be over by now," she said.

    It has been hard for her to be so far from her family, but the Craigs have been a wonderful surrogate family to her. She has enjoyed her time in Beaufort County and has felt at home at the community college. She said everyone has been very welcoming. When being introduced to new people she often hears, "This is a smart girl."

    The other students always want to know more about her. She says, "'Keep talking,' they'll say. 'We want to hear your accent.'" Social sciences instructor Judith Meyers, tells her how brave she is. As the first international student at BCCC, students are not accustomed to hearing a variety of accents or meeting people from East Africa. She is grateful to the faculty in the Human Services Program; her advisor, Ann Barnes; and her fellow students at the College.

    Her current home will never replace her home and family in Uganda. "Home is home," she states plainly. She will be happy to return to her family and start doing what she loves. "We have the resources in Uganda, but people don't know how to access them. There is a big gap between the rich and the poor," says Rukundo. "The poor give up [on trying to access services] because they believe that they will never have a lot. They need someone to remind them that they deserve more."

• Contact: Attila Nemecz
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