Michigan State University (MSU) is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, MSU will host 25 of Africa’s bright, emerging Civic Engagement leaders for a six-week Leadership Institute. Coordinated by IREX with funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Leadership Institutes offer programs that challenge and motivate young leaders from Africa to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 5,800 Mandela Washington Fellows from across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The cohort of Fellows hosted by MSU will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 educational institutions across the United States.
After their Leadership Institutes, Fellows will participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will take part in networking and panel discussions with each other and with U.S. leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Following the Summit, up to 100 competitively-selected Fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies.
Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities (GSAH), Visiting International Professional Programs (VIPP), and Alliance for African Partnership have come together to design a Leadership Institute grounded in MSU’s established commitment, to collaboration with African scholars, community organizers, and young professionals. Fellows selected for the 2023 Leadership Institute at MSU will participate in a range of academic, cultural, and skills-based activities aimed at supporting projects in their home communities.
“Our Institute’s focus on civic engagement draws on MSU’s record in the areas of community outreach, global studies, and leadership training. This type of multi-dimensional international exchange is essential to addressing our shared global challenges,” said Salah Hassan, director of MSU’s GSAH program.
For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute at MSU, please contact Lynn Zhou at zhouyi9@msu.edu .
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2023.