Michigan State University is honored to welcome the Mandela Washington Fellows for the Young African Leadership Institute in Civic Engagement, which began with their arrival in East Lansing on June 19, 2024. This prestigious six-week program is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at U.S. Department of State and administered by IREX. For the third summer, the Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities Program and the Alliance for African Partnership Michigan State University have joined together with other campus and community partners to facilitate a program of activities for this next generation of leaders from across the African continent.

The Mandela Washington Fellows will participate in a comprehensive agenda of activities designed to enhance their leadership skills and expand their opportunities to learn about US models of civic engagement. The program features a blend of academic sessions, practical leadership training, cultural exchange activities, and community service initiatives. Through these activities, the Fellows have worked with local community organization, shared their cultures and expertise at African showcase at the Allen Neighborhood Center on July 6, and developed innovative approaches to address pressing societal challenges presented in a series of Ignite Talks on July 8 in the MSU Auditorium.

For more information on the Mandela Washington Fellowship and the Young African Leadership Institute in Civic Engagement at Michigan State University, please visit Global Studies at MSU.