In Conversation with Dr. Carmen Nibigira

Get to know longtime Davis College and Akilah advisor and mentor Dr. Carmen Nibigira, in conversation with Akilah alum Allen Ingabire.

“Keep pushing, keep knocking on doors, and don’t be afraid to ask.”

As part of our recent Insta Live series, we were thrilled to feature Dr. Carmen Nibigira, Chair of the Davis College Rwanda Board of Directors. Dr. Nibigira shares a wealth of expertise in the tourism industry, international consultancy, and tertiary education with our community, as both a mentor to Davis and Akilah students and as an advisor to our leadership team.

Watch the full interview with Akilah alum Allen Ingabire here, or read highlights from their conversation below!

Allen: Tell us about your journey to date and how you’ve gotten to where you are today.

Carmen: My path in the tourism and hospitality industry has always been my passion. When I was young, I didn’t see myself working in any other industry; I didn’t envision myself entering an office at 8am and heading home at 5pm. That was never my dream; I always wanted to travel, I was interested in new environments, and at one point I wanted to be a cabin crew because it involves travel.

My career started in 2000 when I arrived in the United Kingdom and worked in a five star hotel as an intern. My first job was in housekeeping; I started really from the bottom of the pyramid. I joined sales, reservations, then I became a supervisor, and a manager. Between 2000–2010, I moved from being a housekeeper to a deputy general manager of a five star hotel in Tanzania. In the last 10 years, I have been working in the tourism and destination management sectors, and have worked as a tour agent, tour operator, and in sales, conference, and banqueting — really anything in tourism!

Currently, I am in education and working on designing a new curriculum for tourism training, which we didn’t have before, so most of us had to go outside the continent to learn hospitality management. I am happy to be part of the process of change in education and that’s why I am a proud member of the Davis College Board and I serve with a lot of passion because I believe in people like you, Allen, who are going to change the landscape.

Whenever I meet Akilah graduates, I feel so happy and it makes me proud to be part of something that’s making a difference.

Allen: You are a beloved mentor to many Akilah students and alumni. What value do you see in mentorship and what advice would you give to young people who are seeking a mentor?

Carmen: A mentorship has to be a process of trust, and a give and take. I think when mentees come to a mentor they expect to learn from us, but the truth is that I have learned so much from you and the other people that I mentor.

I do mentorship because I learn so much from my mentees.

Dr. Nibigira (center) with Akilah alumnae (L-R) Sonia Rugwiro, Allen Ingabire, Parfaite Wirira, and Rose Muhumuza.

I encourage everyone who is seeking mentorship to first have clarity about your goals. What we want you to do is to broaden your horizons and see beyond your little world. When I started my career as a housekeeper, I was so sad and started asking myself why I was the one chosen to be cleaning beds and toilets? My manager (who was also my mentor) said, ‘Carmen, take this as an opportunity.’ We would have regular check-ins and she would ask about my progress. Through being exposed to so many departments within the hotel, I ended that year with a wealth of experience from rotating from one department to another.

I would say that the relationship between a mentee and a mentor has to be very organic. We all learn from each other and the mentee’s growth is part of a mentor’s success.

Allen: Who is your role model and why?

Carmen: My philosophy of life is to always search for a role model who has pushed boundaries, who has gone the extra mile and who you look up to. My role model is Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace prize winner for environment conservation. I first read her book in 2007 and I was so moved by what she has done. She was the founding pillar to all of us women because she was the first sub-saharan African woman to earn a PhD. From that time, I made a promise to myself that I will follow the same path and here I am today with a PhD! I am also glad that I met her briefly in 2008 before she passed and she really encouraged me to pursue my career.

Allen: Unfortunately today, tourism and hospitality are among the hardest hit industries by COVID-19. What other challenges do you see the industry facing in the future, and what role can our students play in addressing these challenges?

Carmen: This is a tough question — l don’t recall any time like this in the past 20 years I have been in this industry! Everything is changing and our students have to adapt to this new normal by finding ways to stay on top of everything and not relying on only what was possible before the pandemic. We all need to go back to the board and draw things differently.

I always look to the brighter side of everything and I think this is the best time to reinvent things.

Allen: What is your hobby outside of work, other than reading?

Carmen: I take advantage of traveling as work but it is also my hobby and it’s a good business to be in. If someone likes to travel, join our industry and you will love it! Other than reading, I like outdoor activities, and I am always interested in walking, hiking and sometimes sleeping or listening to podcasts.

Allen: In your view, what makes Davis College and Akilah a unique learning environment and an innovative model of education?

Carmen: It gives me so much joy to see how students come to us and then compare that to when they graduate. Students are molded and transformed — not just academically, but also professionally, evident in their values and what they stand for. I see a sense of responsibility every time I meet them.

That’s why when Davis College students graduate, in a very short period of time, they are trusted to be in leadership positions. Leadership is at the heart of everything we do! We always ask ourselves, ‘Are we ready to provide the answers to our society’s issues?’ From there, we develop a curriculum that addresses all those issues found in our communities. We expect our students to deliver solutions. This fact makes me so proud and I will continue to serve on the Board of this phenomenal institution.

Allen: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received that has helped you in your career?

Carmen: I have received so much advice so far in my career, however, most of them were around how hard work pays! I knew this fact from an early age and I was sure that would elevate my chances. I always had to put in extra effort, keep pushing, keep knocking on doors and don’t be afraid to ask.

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