Mandela Washington Fellowship
A program for young African leaders
Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the U.S. Department of State's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). More than 700 innovators and leaders from sub-Saharan Africa are selected each summer to participate in academic and leadership training at U.S. colleges and universities.
2024 News and Events
- Kansas City-area K-State alumni happy hour Tuesday, July 9
- Campus community invited to celebrate Fellows' arrival, join peer networking group
- Mandela Washington Fellowship returns to K-State in summer 2024
Join the Fellows' Peer Network
While they are in Manhattan, June 19 to July 28, we hope to connect our Fellows to a professional network in the community with members who share a passion for civic leadership and positive social change. This network will cultivate relationships focused on sharing best practices, working through leadership challenges focused on change, and building cross-cultural professional relationships.
The Staley School will organize a few formal meetings and set aside additional times for the Fellows to meet with members of the network. Outside of those times, you may hear from Fellows, and we invite you to contact them as well for coffee meetings, dinner invitations, weekend excursions, etc.
If you would like to engage with the Fellows through the peer network this summer, please fill out this short survey. Responses will be collected until 5 p.m. Monday, June 17.
K-State's Institute in Civic Engagement
The Staley School has hosted Fellowship cohorts since 2016, engaging over 100 young African leaders. While at K-State, the Fellows participate in a six-week Leadership Institute in Civic Engagement.
2023 Mandela Washington Fellows
K-State Fellows engage in hands-on leadership education and practical community-building experiences. Fellows travel statewide to connect with civic organizations, non-profits and government officials, meet with community leaders and enjoy cultural experiences. The Fellowship is culminated with a summit in Washington D.C. that brings together all 700 Fellows.
Learn more
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. Kansas State University is a sub-grantee of IREX and is implementing a U.S.-based Leadership Institute as a part of the Fellowship. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, please visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.