Brian Ntwali
Spring 2025 John Jay Fellow
Hometown: Kigali, Rwanda
College: Hope College
Degree: B.A. in Economics, Minors in Computer Science and Mathematics
Brian Ntwali is a Fall 2024 graduate of Hope College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. During his time at Hope, he had the joy of serving as a Resident Assistant, a French Teaching Assistant (TA), an Exodus 90 small group leader, and as a captain of the Men’s Volleyball Club. Additionally, through Hope’s Campus Ministries, Brian led domestic and international immersion trips and served on the Social Justice Team. His most formative involvement was through Markets & Morality, a book club animated by faith seeking to discover the sources of human flourishing.
Brian’s professional experience includes working at the Acton Institute in Development, serving as the Education Policy intern at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, and working as a Research Assistant in the field of Economics of Crime under his professor, Dr. Silveus. These experiences were further enriched by numerous colloquia at the American Enterprise Institute, the Mercatus Center, and the Russell Kirk Center. The sum of these experiences has sparked in him a passion to bring economic analysis to bear in evaluating whether policies uphold the dignity of human persons.
Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, Brian enjoys playing volleyball, tabletop games, watching and analyzing movies with friends, and exploring various aspects of culture, including food, language, and music.
After his time at the John Jay Institute, Brian plans to return home for a six-week boot camp in Rwanda and, afterward, begin graduate school in the US. After completing his PhD in Economics, he hopes to serve his country through academia and public policy. His highest vocation, however, is to respond to the call to become a Saint and Friend of God—a call that Christ extends to the whole human race.