TXST doctoral candidate Serge Gasore advances education in Rwanda

Serge Gasore, doctoral candidate in the adult, professional, and community education program at Texas State University, published author, survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, champion NCAA long-distance runner, and co-founder of non-profit organization Rwanda Children, will earn his doctorate this fall.

On Sept. 9, Gasore successfully defended his dissertation, Community Education Leaders Exploring Social Enterprise in Nonprofit Organizations: Sustainable Development in Rwanda, which examines how community education leaders in nonprofit organizations use social enterprise strategies to promote organizational sustainability and contribute to sustainable development in Rwanda. Gasore is the first of his family to receive a doctoral degree. 

“The study is closely aligned with my work through Rwanda Children,” Gasore said. “Locally grounded initiatives—including small enterprises, vocational training, agriculture, and microfinance—illustrate how nonprofit organizations can diversify resources, reduce persistent dependence on charitable donations, and strengthen their capacity to advance long-term educational, social, and economic development.”

Co-founded by Gasore and his wife, Esperance, Rwanda Children provides medical care, education, vocational training, empowerment, and microfinance services to over 2,800 vulnerable people each day. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2014 after Gasore earned a master of science in information technology and a master of arts in global service from Abilene Christian University (ACU).  

While enrolled at ACU, Gasore made a name for himself as a long-distance runner. In 2007, Gasore led the ACU team to a second-place finish at the NCAA Division II South Central Region championship, in which Gasore ran the 5,000-meter short track event in just 14 minutes and 29 seconds. The United States' Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association recognized him as the region’s Male Athlete of the Year. 

Gasore’s lifelong passion for running aided him greatly in surviving the greatest challenge of his life: surviving the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in which over one million Tutsis and sympathizers residing in Rwanda were killed over the course of 100 days, according to a recent speech by UN Secretary General António Guterres. 

“My experiences of loss, survival, and post-genocide recovery have informed my professional commitment to improving the well-being of vulnerable children and families in and around Ntarama, Rwanda,” he said.

Gasore has been presented with several awards during his career. ACU recognized Gasore as Young Alumnus of the Year in 2018. The humanitarian efforts of Rwanda Children were recognized by the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, in 2019 when he was presented with the Protectors of Friendship pact, which recognizes the heroic actions of those who protected others during the genocide against the Tutsi people of Rwanda. Gasore is the youngest recipient of this award.

Most recently, Gasore received the community practitioner award from the American Association for Adult & Continuing Education at their 2026 annual conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

On April 7, Gasore addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York during the commemoration of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. He presented his experiences as a child survivor, honored those who were killed, and stressed the importance of global efforts to protect human life and promote understanding across differences. 

More recently, Gasore is a beneficiary of TXST’s Run to R1 Scholars initiative, which supports doctoral students with tuition reimbursement and a teaching or research stipend. Through this initiative, he served as a teaching assistant and instructor, as well as a research assistant under Jeremy Bohonos', Ph.D., associate professor in adult, professional, and community education, supervision. The initiative is part of TXST’s efforts to achieve R1 status, the highest Carnegie Classification for research activity, by 2027.

“These experiences strengthened my development as a scholar-practitioner by integrating teaching, research, and community-engaged leadership,” he said. “I am extremely grateful for what Texas State has offered me, which I will never be able to repay but will pay forward.”