Young African leaders return to Nebraska in summer 2020

Nebraska’s 2019 Mandela Washington Fellows visited the Nebraska State Capitol on July 24, where they met with Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley and received a tour of the historic building.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2020 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, Nebraska will host 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 is celebrating its 10th anniversary supporting young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Since 2014, through the Mandela Washington Fellowship, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 4,400 young leaders from across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The cohort of Fellows hosted by Nebraska will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 27 educational institutions across the United States. This summer, all Fellows will receive a letter from President Trump welcoming them to the United States for their program.

In addition to academic and professional sessions, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fellows also participate in cultural excursions such as a visit to the internationally-recognized Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.

At the conclusion of their Leadership Institutes, these exceptional young leaders will convene in Washington, D.C., for 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 70 competitively-selected Fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development at 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.

During the summer program, Fellows at Nebraska will learn first-hand about the intersection of leadership and civic engagement from elected state leaders, UNL’s Clifton Strengths Institute, the Lincoln Rotary Club and Nebraska’s first Certified B Corporation, Firespring. Fellows also engage with the community through activities like visiting Shiloh Place Assisted Living Home in Fremont, Nebraska; planting a tree on UNL’s East Campus for Nelson Mandela Day; and serving at the Matt Talbot Kitchen.

For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, please contact the Office of Global Strategies at globalstrategies@unl.edu.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 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, click here. Join the conversation at #YALI2020.

Editor’s note: Due to the current global health situation, and with the safety and well-being of Fellows and Partners as the highest priority, the U.S. Department of State has postponed the 2020 Mandela Washington Fellowship until summer 2021. Applicants for the 2020 Fellowship who were selected as Finalists and Alternates have been notified that they are eligible to defer their participation until summer 2021.