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.  

2025 Leadership Institutes

Leadership in Business Institutes provide an overview of U.S. entrepreneurial strategies and focus on developing skills in business and entrepreneurship. These institutes examine the development, history, and successes of U.S. enterprises with specific relevance to Sub-Saharan Africa and help Fellows build technical and leadership capacity in areas such as innovation and technology, business plan development, and financial management.  The institutions hosting 2025 Leadership in Business Institutes are:

• Alabama A&M University – Huntsville, Alabama
• Clark Atlanta University – Atlanta, Georgia
• Drake University – Des Moines, Iowa
• Jackson State University – Jackson, Mississippi
• Purdue University – West Lafayette, Indiana
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick, New Jersey
• University of Iowa – Iowa City, Iowa
• University of Nevada, Reno – Reno, Nevada
• University of Notre Dame – South Bend, Indiana
• The University of Texas at Austin – Austin, Texas

Leadership in Civic Engagement Institutes provide an overview of civic engagement and community building in the United States.  These institutes discuss similarities and contrasts with experiences and opportunities on the African continent and build technical and leadership capacity in areas such as strategic planning, organizational development, and the intersection of civil society with business and government.  The institutions hosting 2025 Leadership in Civic Engagement Institutes are:

• Drexel University – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Michigan State University – East Lansing, Michigan
• The Presidential Precinct  – Charlottesville, Virginia
• University of Delaware – Newark, Delaware
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Baltimore, Maryland
• The University of Tennessee, Knoxville & Tennessee State University – Knoxville, Tennessee

Leadership in Public Management Institutes provide an overview of public management, administration, and leadership in government, regional or international organizations, or other publicly oriented groups and think tanks.  The Institutes introduce Fellows to U.S. models and best practices in public management while building technical and leadership capacity in areas such as citizen engagement, resource management, financial management systems, and the intersection of government with business and civil society.  The institutions hosting 2025 Leadership in Public Management Institutes are:

• Arizona State University – Phoenix, Arizona
• Bridgewater State University – Bridgewater, Massachusetts
• Georgia State University – Atlanta, Georgia
• Syracuse University – Syracuse, New York
• Texas Tech University – Lubbock, Texas
• University of California, Davis – Davis, California
• University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, Minnesota
• University of Tulsa – Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan

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.