Drexel University is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, Drexel will host 23 of Africa’s bright, emerging Civic Engagement leaders from a total of 18 countries 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 (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement.  YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.  Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 5,800 Mandela Washington Fellows from across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The cohort of Fellows hosted Drexel will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 educational institutions across the United States.

During their time at Drexel, Fellows will connect with local partners through site visits, collaborative projects, cultural excursions, service learning, and networking events. As in previous years, the Office of Global Engagement looks forward to collaborating across campus to engage these accomplished Fellows with faculty, students, staff, and community members, further deepening Drexel’s relationships in Sub-Saharan Africa.

After their Leadership Institutes, Fellows will participate in the 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, up to 100 competitively-selected Fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by IREX, Leadership Institutes will offer programs that will challenge, motivate, and empower young leaders from Africa to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute at Drexel University, please contact the Drexel Global office at Global@Drexel.edu or visit the Drexel Global website at Drexel.edu/global. 

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of 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 mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2023.