Skip to main content

Appalachian Today

News and events at Appalachian State University
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Podcasts
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Accolades
  • Alumni
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Athletics
  • Awards and Honors
  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Global
  • Health and Wellness
  • Publications
  • Research and Creative Works
  • Safety
  • Scholarships
  • Students
  • Sustainability
☰ Menu
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Podcasts
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • Contact

Appalachian selected to host 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

View larger image

Representatives from each of the 2019 YALI institute partners at the partner retreat held in Washington, D.C., in late January. IREX image

“These kinds of programs are critical in helping OIED (Office of International Education and Development) achieve its vision of bringing the world to Appalachian and the Boone/Watauga area.”

Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor for international education and development and director of international research and development

View larger image

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders logo. U.S. Department of State image

By Mallory Sadler
Posted Feb. 8, 2019 at 2:55 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University is among 27 universities across the country selected to host the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in 2019. This summer, Appalachian will host 25 of Africa’s emerging civic leaders — ages 25–35 — for a six-week Leadership Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, which began in 2014, is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The program was created to empower young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, professional opportunities, networking and local community engagement.

To date, Appalachian has hosted three institutes for the Mandela Washington Fellowship and has a network of 75 alumni of the program.

“I am very excited that Appalachian was again selected to participate in the implementation of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute. This is a great honor for our university and it demonstrates the confidence that both the U.S. Department of State and IREX have in Appalachian’s capacity to successfully implement programs of this nature,” said Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, Appalachian’s associate vice chancellor for international education and development. Lutabingwa is also the director of international research and development and a professor of public administration in Appalachian’s Department of Government and Justice Studies.

Dr. Brian MacHarg, director of academic civic engagement at Appalachian, said, “The Mandela Fellowship helps to bring a global perspective to Appalachian but also allows civic leaders in Boone to collaborate and glean ideas from counterparts in Africa.

“Those who know this program look forward to it each year as it is a chance to share, learn and make friends with professionals from the African continent. The relationships are not short-term and often lead to later visits and collaboration.”

“These kinds of programs are critical in helping OIED (Office of International Education and Development) achieve its vision of bringing the world to Appalachian and the Boone/Watauga area.”

Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor for international education and development and director of international research and development

The cohort of fellows hosted by Appalachian will be part of a larger group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows from sub-Saharan Africa who will hone their skills at U.S. higher education institutions this summer and receive support for professional development after they return home. The 700 Fellows were competitively selected from a pool of 38,000 applicants across sub-Saharan African countries.

“These kinds of programs are critical in helping OIED (the Office of International Education and Development) achieve its vision of bringing the world to Appalachian and the Boone/Watauga area. Our participation in the institute helps facilitate cultural exchange,” Lutabingwa said.

Appalachian’s institute provides the opportunity for talented African professionals to collaborate with Appalachian faculty on issues of civic leadership, community development and nonprofit management. The institute is supported through a partnership between the university’s Office of International Education and Development (OIED), Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) and Leadership Development — a component of the Department of Student Engagement and Leadership in Appalachian’s Division of Student Affairs.

Douglas Baer, assistant director for leadership development, expressed his excitement to be part of Appalachian’s 2019 Mandela Washington Fellows Institute. Baer, who will teach a curriculum on leadership as part of the summer institute, said he is “delighted to continue that tradition — helping to mentor 25 bright and driven young leaders of Africa. I cannot wait to meet each of them.”

Lutabingwa said the Appalachian institute is a balance of in-class collaborations with off-campus meetings with nonprofit directors, state and local government officials and activities that showcase American culture.

The fellows will be paired with young local leaders from Boone and Watauga County to observe how the leaders are using their skills to advance the organizations with which they work. Fellows will discuss both the foundations for civic participation and the details of leading communities and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Fellows will also participate in and reflect on volunteer service opportunities with local nonprofits in the community — work that matches what they are addressing in their home communities, such as sustainable agriculture, youth programs, poverty alleviation or other issues. The program balances the characteristics of American civic life with concerns specific to the continent of Africa.

At the end of their stay at their individual institutes, the fellows will meet in Washington, D.C., for the sixth annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will take part in networking and panel discussions with U.S. leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Following the summit, 70 selected fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development training at U.S. NGOs, private companies and government agencies.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit http://yali.state.gov/mwf and join the conversation at #YALI2019.

For additional information about the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute at Appalachian, click here, and/or contact co-directors Lutabingwa and MacHarg at [email protected] or [email protected], respectively.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

View larger image

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders logo. U.S. Department of State image

Appalachian hosts 25 young African leaders for six-week institute
Appalachian hosts 25 young African leaders for six-week institute
July 10, 2018

The Mandela Washington Fellows joined Appalachian campus and local community members at the opening reception of a six-week institute focused on civic leadership.

Read the story
Mandela Washington Fellowship at Appalachian 2019
Mandela Washington Fellowship at Appalachian 2019

Office of International Education and Development

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). In 2019, the Fellowship will provide up to 700 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. higher education institution with support for professional development after they return home. Appalachian's Institute will host 25 Fellows and focuses on leadership and skills development in Civic Engagement.

Learn more
Educational institutions across United States selected to host Mandela Washington Fellows
Educational institutions across United States selected to host Mandela Washington Fellows
IREX
Jan. 30, 2019

The U.S. Department of State and IREX are pleased to announce the 27 U.S. educational institutions that have been selected to host 700 Mandela Washington Fellows in summer 2019.

Learn more

About the Office of International Programs

Appalachian State University combines a strong liberal arts foundation with a comprehensive, pervasive and integrated commitment to global engagement. The Office of International Programs assists App State in fulfilling its global engagement mission by working to develop awareness, knowledge, appreciation and respect of cultural differences — in both domestic and international contexts — in the university’s students, faculty and staff, as well as in the surrounding communities. Learn more at https://international.appstate.edu.

About the Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs at Appalachian State University is committed to the development of lifelong learners and leaders by engaging and challenging students within a culture of care and inclusion. The division consists of 16 units that offer activities and services to help students develop more fully by becoming global learners, fostering healthy relationships, appreciating diversity and different perspectives, understanding community responsibility, enhancing self-awareness, developing autonomy and living ethically. These units include the Career Development Center, Campus Activities, Office of Community-Engaged Leadership, Wellness and Prevention Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Service, Parent and Family Services, University Housing, Student Conduct, University Recreation, Intercultural Student Affairs, Student Legal Clinic and Off-Campus Student Services, Electronic Student Services, Child Development Center, and Staff Development and Strategic Initiatives. Learn more at https://studentaffairs.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

Share

Topics

  • Diversity
  • Global

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

Share

Topics

  • Diversity
  • Global

Other Recent Posts

  • Student research and creative projects spotlighted at App State’s annual showcase
    Student research and creative projects spotlighted at App State’s annual showcase
  • Will Sears appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at App State
    Will Sears appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at App State
  • N.C. Governor Josh Stein to address graduates at App State commencement
    N.C. Governor Josh Stein to address graduates at App State commencement
  • App State honors 29 students, faculty and staff with 2025 Awards of Distinction
    App State honors 29 students, faculty and staff with 2025 Awards of Distinction
  • App State to offer AI concentration in master’s programs [faculty featured]
    App State to offer AI concentration in master’s programs [faculty featured]
    WFDD
  • Campus emergency siren test to be conducted May 7
    Campus emergency siren test to be conducted May 7
  • App State students help restore national wildlife refuge as part of Alternative Service Experience
    App State students help restore national wildlife refuge as part of Alternative Service Experience
  • Dr. Neva J. Specht appointed App State executive vice chancellor and provost
    Dr. Neva J. Specht appointed App State executive vice chancellor and provost
  • $2 million grant funds scholarships, supports STEM education for over 50 App State students
    $2 million grant funds scholarships, supports STEM education for over 50 App State students
  • App State named Military Friendly School for 16th consecutive year, ranked a top 10 institution for 2025–26
    App State named Military Friendly School for 16th consecutive year, ranked a top 10 institution for 2025–26
  • Explore the future of business with new AI master’s degree tracks at App State
    Explore the future of business with new AI master’s degree tracks at App State
  • 12th annual iBackAPP Day of Giving draws over 3,100 App State supporters worldwide
    12th annual iBackAPP Day of Giving draws over 3,100 App State supporters worldwide

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • In the News
  • Research & Arts
  • Awards
  • Experts
  • All News
  • Topics
  • Subscribe
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

App State

Copyright 2025 Appalachian State University. All rights reserved.

University Communications
ASU Box 32153
Boone, NC 28608
828-262-6156
[email protected]

Abouts

Disclaimer | EO Policy | Accessibility | Website manager: montaldipa (beltmr) .. | Website Feedback

Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Snapchat