WEST LAFAYETTE— Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is proud to announce its selection as an institute partner for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, Purdue will host 25 of Africa’s bright, emerging business 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 Africa.
Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, which will be Purdue’s sixth summer hosting.
“This program brings tremendous value not only to the cohort of fellows from across Africa but also to those within our College of Agriculture and beyond who engage with these dynamic individuals during their time in West Lafayette,” said Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. “We look forward to hosting the 2024 fellows and helping them build their entrepreneurial and technical skill sets to support their efforts when they return to their home countries.”
Since its inception, nearly 6,500 young leaders from every country in sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship. The cohort of fellows hosted by Purdue will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 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 will challenge, motivate, and empower young leaders from Africa to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.
Some highlights of the Purdue program include:
- Fellows will connect with state-level, regional, and local businesses and volunteers through collaborative projects and site visits.
- Fellows will have the opportunity to give back to the local community through service opportunities with entities such as Food Finders, GrowLocal Lafayette, the Tippecanoe County Extension Office, and Lafayette Urban Ministry, among others.
- Fellows will attend different events throughout the summer, including the June 28 welcome reception at the Convergence Center, Taste of Tippecanoe, Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering, Wabash Riverfest, and Mosey Down Main Street.
After their leadership institutes, fellows will participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will participate in networking and panel discussions with each other and 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. nongovernmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies.
“The spirit of social entrepreneurship that drives the fellows and that is fostered through their visit, and now lifelong connection to Purdue will have a pronounced impact on the prosperity of rural communities across the African continent,” said Christian Butzke, professor of food science.
For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute at Purdue and how you can get involved, please contact Gary Burniske at grburniske@purdue.edu or visit Purdue’s website at purdue.edu/mandela-fellowship/. You can also register today to volunteer with the program.
