1. Kansas State University
  2. »Division of Communications and Marketing
  3. »K-State Today
  4. »K-State to host 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

K-State Today

February 6, 2018

K-State to host 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Submitted by Trisha Gott

Partner Institute Photo from 2018 Retreat in Washington D.C.

Kansas State University has been selected as an institute partner for the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, K-State will host 25 of Africa's bright, emerging civic leaders for a six-week Academic and 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 brought 3,000 young leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa to the United States 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 larger group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 27 institutions across the United States this summer. These exceptional young leaders will meet at the end of their institutes in Washington, D.C., for the fifth annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will take part in networking and panel discussions with each other and U.S. leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Following the summit, 100 fellows will participate in six weeks of professional development training at U.S. nongovernmental organizations, private companies and government agencies.

Working closely with the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and its implementing partner, IREX, host institutions will offer academic and leadership programs that will challenge, inspire and empower these inspiring young leaders from Africa.

While at K-State, the fellows will connect with local partners through site visits to local businesses, nonprofits and community organizations. Highlights include participation in a Kansas Leadership Center program and a civic tour of community organizations, businesses, and cultural centers in Kansas City.

The fellows also will serve the state and local community through Furniture Amnesty Day with HandsOn Kansas State, the city of Manhattan and Konza United Way and through service with other partners throughout the state.

An opportunity to meet the fellows will be Friday, June 22, at the Staley School of Leadership Studies at the opening ceremony. More details will be available in April at k-state.edu/leadership/.

For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute at K-State, contact Trisha Gott at tcgott@k-state.edu or 785-532-6085.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. Department of State and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit yali.state.gov/mwf and join the conversation at #YALI2018.