Indiana University to host young African leaders through Mandela Washington Fellowship program

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IU Newsroom »Indiana University to host young African leaders through Mandela Washington Fellowship programIndiana University to host young African leaders through Mandela Washington Fellowship programFeb. 14, 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University will host 25 of Africa’s brightest emerging leaders for six-week academic and leadership institute this summer sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative, empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and support for activities in their communities. 
Fellows are young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa who have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities and countries. 
IU successfully hosted the civic leadership track in 2016, led by the Office of International Development. The 2017 cohort will come to Indiana in mid-June as part of a larger group of 1,000 Mandela Washington fellows hosted at institutions across the United States this summer. The highly competitive program attracted more than 64,000 applications this year.
“The visit of the first cohort of Mandela scholars in Bloomington last year generated a six-week-long series of powerful, engaged discussions with community and business leaders, with educators and students, and with other members of the community,” said David Zaret, IU vice president for international affairs. “We found that we had much to learn from each other. I look forward to another opportunity to get to know the bright, young African leaders of tomorrow.”
Working closely with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational Affairs and its implementing partner, IREX, host institutions have designed academic programs that will challenge and empower these inspiring young leaders from Africa.
“Hosting these young Africans has been inspiring and is an investment in a new generation of young leaders who shape the continent’s future, and it reinforces IU’s global engagement toward increased ...

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