Host University Partners Selected for 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Department of State
Washington, DC
February 9, 2016

The U.S. Department of State and its implementing partner, IREX, have selected 36 colleges and universities across the United States to host the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders this summer. These outstanding institutions have designed academic programs that will challenge, inspire, and empower 1,000 young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa who have proven records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, and communities.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which is fostering closer relations between the people of the United States and communities across Africa. Each 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow will complete a six-week academic and leadership institute at one of the selected U.S. colleges and universities in one of the following areas: Business and Entrepreneurship; Civic Leadership; Public Management. New in 2016, one of the institutes will focus on Energy. Fellows’ participation in all of the institutes will include academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and community activities.

The 2016 host university partners represent the excellence and diversity of U.S. higher education. They include public and private institutions, Historically Black Colleges & Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, large universities, and small colleges. The full list of selected institutions can be found here: https://yali.state.gov/washington-fellowship/partnership-information/.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. government and supported in its implementation by IREX. Join the conversation online with #YALI2016. For press inquiries, contact ECA-Press@state.gov.