February 5, 2019
Kansas State University to host 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
Kansas State University has been selected as an institute partner for the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, K-State will host 25 of Africa's bright, emerging civic engagement leaders for a six-week Leadership Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative, or YALI, empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and local community engagement. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 3,700 young leaders from 49 countries across sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaborations with U.S. professionals.
The cohort of fellows hosted by K-State will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows participating at 27 educational institutions across the United States. This summer, all fellows will receive a letter from President Trump welcoming them to the United States for their program. At the conclusion of their leadership institutes, these exceptional young leaders will convene in Washington, D.C., for the sixth annual 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, 70 competitively-selected fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development at U.S. nongovernmental organizations, private companies and government agencies.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and working closely with its implementing partner, IREX, host institutions will offer leadership programs that will challenge, motivate and empower these inspiring young leaders from Africa.
Some highlights of the Kansas State University program:
- Fellows connecting with local partners through site visits to the Kansas Leadership Center, the Kansas State Capitol, and the Brown vs. Board of Education site and museum.
- Fellows serving the state through work alongside the Special Olympics, the city of Manhattan, HandsOn Kansas State and in Kansas City with Hope Faith Ministries, and Harvesters-The Community Food Network.
- You can meet the fellows at networking events that will be announced this spring and by contacting the Staley School of Leadership Studies.
For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute at Kansas State University, please contact Trisha Gott at tcgott@k-state.edu.
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. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit yali.state.gov/mwf and join the conversation at #YALI2019.