In Conversation: Davis & Akilah’s Leadership

Davis College & Akilah Institute CEO & Co-Founder Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes recently sat down with Davis College Rwanda President Aline Kabanda and Akilah President Karen Sherman to reflect on Akilah’s ten years of success, transitioning to co-ed higher education with the launch of Davis College, and to discuss the organization’s unique culture.

Watch the full conversation here:

“When I look back to the very beginning at Akilah, when we all started working together, I think we had a lot of people who doubted us and who really doubted our ability to build the institution that Akilah has become today. What do you think it is about our team or about our culture that had helped us to create this incredible institution?”

“I think we have a clear sense of purpose. I think that not everybody doubted us. I think we had a number of people who were skeptical, but we also had people who saw something special in us and some of these people are here today.”

I think our results speak for themselves. I think that when we first started got started, there was a dismissiveness. But the fact is, you go around and you talk to employers and our girls are really performing and I think that brought people around. That’s the difference. The fact that these young women are getting jobs, they’re getting good jobs, they’re earning money, they’re supporting their families, they’re changing things. I think people caught on to that.”

“I think we bring a mix of innovation, creativity, and we’re not traditional in the way we think. And so I think we complement each other well and understand that education has to change and it has to serve the changing planet.”