26 U.S. educational institutions in 21 states will host the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institutes for approximately 650 competitively selected young African leaders.  The six-week Institutes, hosted on college and university campuses across the United States, will support the development of Fellows’ leadership skills through academic study, workshops, mentoring, networking with U.S. leaders, and collaboration with members of the local community.  Each Institute will also offer insights into U.S. society and will help strengthen connections between the United States and Africa by establishing partnerships between Fellows, local communities, and private businesses. 

In addition to the knowledge and skills they gain, Fellows enrich their U.S. host communities through public service and the lasting personal and professional ties they create during their program.  

At the conclusion of the Institutes, up to 85 competitively selected Fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development with U.S. organizations and businesses. U.S. citizens can also apply to travel to Africa to collaborate on projects with Fellows through the Fellowship’s Reciprocal Exchange, which provides opportunities to form lasting partnerships and expand U.S. markets and networks across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship 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, visit www.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.