By Danny Ndikuriyo
When Danny Ndikuriyo joined USIU-Africa in September 2022 as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, it marked his first experience studying outside his home country of Burundi. “USIU-Africa was truly a special place for me,” Danny reflects. “The diversity on campus immediately made me feel at home. With students from more than 60 nationalities, I had the opportunity to interact with people from different cultures, perspectives, and ambitions. Those interactions broadened the way I think about the world.”
Danny, a final-year Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering student, is driven by a belief that technology can be a powerful tool to solve problems across many domains. “I chose software engineering because technology is not limited to one field,” he explains. “It can be applied in agriculture, healthcare, finance, and many other sectors. I saw it as a tool that could allow me to contribute meaningfully to different areas of society.”
During his time at USIU-Africa, Danny took advantage of the opportunities provided by the university’s academic environment and career development programs. Through mentorship initiatives, he was paired with a mentor working at Meta, where he gained insights into building software at the scale of major technology companies. This mentorship experience played an important role in shaping his technical and professional development and eventually contributed to his current role as an AI Engineering Fellow at Albert.
Danny also earned the prestigious Palantir Future Scholarship, a global program that selects only ten students worldwide who demonstrate exceptional promise in using technology to build impactful careers and create meaningful change in their communities.
Beyond academics and technology, Danny actively engaged in leadership and explored the vibrant student life on campus. He participated in organizations such as the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) student chapter and the Google Developer Student Clubs, while also contributing to campus athletics as a member of the university’s volleyball team. These experiences helped him grow not only as a technologist but also as a leader and collaborator.
“USIU-Africa gave me the environment to explore ideas freely and develop the confidence to pursue opportunities on a global scale,” he says. “The USIU-Africa motto, Education to take you places, truly became a reality for me.”
Danny credits the mentorship and support he received from his professors as a critical factor in his journey. Faculty members guided him academically, provided mentorship, and supported his ambitions, including writing recommendation letters that strengthened his graduate and scholarship applications.
Inspired by former USIU-Africa students who had previously been selected as Rhodes Scholars, Danny began to believe that the opportunity might also be possible for him. “At first, the Rhodes Scholarship felt very far away,” Danny recalls. “But seeing other USIU-Africa students achieve it made me realize that it was possible. Their example motivated me to work harder and pursue the opportunity.”
The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the world’s most prestigious academic scholarships, supporting outstanding students from around the globe to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford.
As a Rhodes Scholar, Danny will pursue a Master’s degree in Social Data Science at the University of Oxford, where he plans to focus on research in algorithmic fairness and bias in large language models.
“My research interests focus on ensuring that artificial intelligence systems are fair and inclusive,” he explains. “As AI becomes more powerful and widely used, it is important to make sure that these systems do not reproduce or amplify biases that could disadvantage certain communities.” Danny hopes his work will contribute to building more responsible AI systems and ensuring that technological progress benefits people globally, including those in developing regions.
Looking ahead, he hopes to use the knowledge and experience gained through his studies to contribute to technological development in Africa, particularly in Burundi. He ends by emphasizing, “My long-term goal is to help ensure that countries in the Global South are not left behind in the AI revolution. Technology should empower communities everywhere, and I hope to contribute to building systems that work for everyone.”
