Professional Development Experiences

Professional Development Experiences (PDEs) offer enriching opportunities for U.S. organizations and communities to participate in a collaborative exchange by hosting young African professionals for substantive work experiences that explore issues and workplace culture from U.S. and African perspectives. Both Fellows and Hosts benefit from discussing shared issues and challenges in their sectors, broadening their perspectives, and positioning U.S. organizations for international engagement. From 2014 to 2022, Fellows completed 155,000 hours of professional training at nearly 400 companies, organizations, and government agencies in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

PDEs provide U.S. companies, non-profits, and government agencies with a unique opportunity to gain a global perspective on their work while offering a tailored experience to an accomplished young professional looking to share their expertise, hone transferable skills, and forge lasting professional relationships with their American counterparts. Mandela Washington Fellows are motivated to take their careers to the next level and share knowledge with their American peers and other future leaders across Africa.

PDEs are offered two times per year (approximate annual timeframes):
Summer Session: July – September (4 weeks)
After the completion of their Leadership Institutes and Summit, up to 100 Fellows are competitively selected to remain in the United States for an additional four-week substantive work experience with a private, public, or nonprofit organization. Fellows should expect to spend 35-40 hours per week supporting and collaborating with their Host Organization, learning transferable skills in the U.S. context.
Winter/Spring Session: January – March (6 weeks)
Fellowship Alumni who have not previously participated in a PDE may apply for a six-week opportunity to further hone their professional skills and connect with U.S. professionals working in their industries through a flexible, accessible, and robust virtual placement. Participants should expect to commit an average of approximately 10-15 hours per week to the PDE.
Learn more about hosting a PDE.
2022 Professional Development Experience Hosts
- 1871
- Africa Global Chamber of Commerce
- African Development Center of Minnesota
- African Family Health Organization
- African Wildlife Foundation
- Alexandria Library
- Alliance Theater
- American Bar Association
- The Atlantic Council
- Austin Lighthouse for the Blind
- The Brookings Institution
- Byte Back
- Carriage House Farm
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Child Care Law Center
- City of Philadelphia, PA – Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services
- City of Philadelphia, PA – Police Advisory Commission
- City of Phoenix – Public Transit Department
- City of Phoenix, AZ – Department of Public Works
- Clean Cooking Alliance
- Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
- ConnectUP! Institute
- Conservation International
- Council on American-Islamic Relations
- Crown Town Compost
- DeKalb County Government
- Deloitte
- Denver Water
- Digital Harbor Foundation
- District Department of Transportation
- DivInc
- Empowering Youth and Families Outreach
- Encompass LLC
- Energy Shrink
- Envision Charlotte
- Frontier Bridge Advisory
- Globalstratos, Inc.
- Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce
- Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver
- Health Partners Plans
- Healthcare Ready
- Hennepin County
- Hennepin Healthcare
- Hip Hop for Change
- The Hope Project
- International Council for Research on Women
- LandHealth Institute
- Microsoft
- National Endowment for Democracy
- New York City Anti-Violence Project
- Office of Commissioner Mereda Johnson
- Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons
- The ONE Campaign
- Pass IT On
- Plan International USA
- Planet Forward
- Population Action International
- Project C.U.R.E.
- Rainier Beach High School
- The Resource Exchange
- Salvation Army – Denver
- San Francisco International Film Festival
- Sauti Yetu Center for African Women
- Tininia Q. Cade Foundation
- State of Georgia – Administrative Office of the Courts
- Street Sense Media
- Sustainable Development Strategies Group
- Taskforce for Global Health
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- The Schreiber Research Group
- Townlake YMCA
- Transcendent Life Coaching Institute
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service – Healthy Processed Foods Unit
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Green Building Council
- University of Idaho – Aquaculture Research Institute
- University of Maryland – Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics
- Vital Voices
- Water for People
- YMCA of Austin
