Howard University Hosting Mandela Washington Fellowship Students
For the fourth consecutive year, the Howard University School of Business has partnered the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, hosting 25 up-and-coming African leaders for a six-week intensive beginning this week.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program that began through the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), a project of former President Barack Obama. YALI aims to empower young African leaders by providing opportunities for mentorship, networking, and other professional development activities. 1,000 of these young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa will take part of the program this summer, being hosted by institutions across the United States. At the end of the program, all of the fellows will meet for a Summit in Washington DC.
Former President Barack Obama speaking at a previous Mandela Washington Fellowship event.
The fellows being hosted across the country are a diverse group, ranging between the ages of 25 to 35 and all with proven records of innovation or leaving a positive impact in their communities. Last year, 66 of the fellows were identified as having a disability, with 30 percent representing rural areas or small towns of less than 100,000.
The six-week institute at Howard is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Together with the department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, host schools around the country have worked to develop an academic program which can both challenge and inspire these young leaders. Each institute will focus on one of three tracks: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, or Public Management at Howard.
The Mandela program at Howard will combine academic lectures from the university’s world-class faculty with cultural and civic engagement activities. Select fellows in the program will also have the chance to stay on for a six week professional development training program with a number of private organizations or government agencies.
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Alanna Shaffer
Staff Writer, covering MetroMBA's news beat for Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas.
