Drexel University is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning June 21, Drexel University will engage with 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 (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 the African continent. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 4,400 young leaders from across 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals through the Fellowship. The cohort of Fellows hosted by Drexel University will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted by 26 educational institutions across the United States. 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 engage, motivate, and empower young leaders from Africa to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

During their time on campus, these scholars have the opportunity to experience Drexel’s renowned experiential education through site visits, collaborative projects, and partnership development with local organizations. By taking part in service projects on campus and across the City of Philadelphia, the Fellows will also join President John Fry’s mission to make Drexel the most civically engaged universityin the United States, across all three dimensions of engagement: academic, student and employee voluntarism, and institutionally supported neighborhood investment."

News & Events

• Wenderott Selected for Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange

  Read about how Jill Wenderott, Anne Stevens Assistant Professor of materials science and engineering, has been selected for the Reciprocal Exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.

• Moshi School Launches Computer Lab to Spurt Digital Literacy 

• Drexel and nonprofit TEDI partner to establish computer lab in Tanzania 

  See how a Drexel University fall Intensive Course Abroad program in Tanzania and the nonprofit organization Tanzania Enlightenment Development Innovations Tanzania (a group of dedicated students and Tanzanian community members) built a computer lab at the Meringeni Secondary School, in northern Tanzania.

• How the Drexel Mandela Fellows are Taking on COVID-19 Across the Globe

  Read about the high-impact projects that our alumni are leading to combat the pandemic. 

• Remembering Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo

  On the life and legacy of a beloved 2018 Fellow. 

• Personal reflections on the Mandela Washington Fellowship

  Hear from Academic Director Anne Converse Willkomm about her experience with Drexel's 2019 Mandela Fellows. 

• Goldman Sachs Engineering Welcomes Young African Leaders from the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship Program

  Read Goldman Sachs career blog on their experience with the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellows. 

• Interview with two 2018 Washington Mandela Fellows mentored at Goodwin

  Meet Suhaila Aboud and Varna Joseph and learn about their experiences at Drexel and in Philadelphia.

• Meet the Mandela Washington Fellows at Drexel

  Read more about profiles of the fellows.

• President John Fry Discusses Civic Pathway

  Take a look inside the course "The Civic Spectrum: Engage. Lead. Empower." attended by Mandela Fellows in 2018. 

• Mandela Fellow featured on CNN

  Watch an inspiring video about Tshepo Nkabo and his organization Hands of Life Cycling.