During their time at Texas Tech University, 25 bright, emerging African leaders will participate in classroom sessions and sites visits, and serve the local community.
WHAT: Texas Tech University hosts a cohort of 25 African fellows who will complete a six-week Leadership in Public Management Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and its implementing partner, the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX).
WHEN: Thursday (June 20) to July 28
WHERE: Various locations
EVENTS: Created in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training and networking opportunities. YALI was created in 2010 and aims to support the growth and prosperity of young African leaders, strengthen democratic governance and increase peace and security across Africa.
Faculty and staff from several areas, including the Office of International Affairs; the Office of the President; the Office of the Provost; the School of Law; the Innovation Hub at Research Park; the Texas Tech Ethics Center; the Free Market Institute; the Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Animal & Food Sciences departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources; the Nutritional Sciences department in the College of Human Sciences; and the Educational Psychology and Leadership graduate program in the College of Education, have been involved in the planning and logistics of the institute.
The institute is split into three, two-week modules of related classroom sessions, site visits and community service projects.
June 20-30
The first module will lay the foundation for conscientious, accountable public service
and business development with visits to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce (June 25),
the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center (June 27) and Palo Duro Canyon,
where the fellows will attend the outdoor Musical, "TEXAS" (June 28). Classroom sessions
include topics such as leadership and team development, public governance and creating
public/private partnerships to promote accountability and economic development.
June 31-July 14
The second module focuses on capitalizing on gender empowerment and nutrition for
healthy, successful societies and includes service activities with Meals On Wheels
(July 2) and at GRUB Farm (July 12), site visits to local schools (July 2), participation
in Fourth of July festivities and tours of the South Plains Food Bank and Breedlove
Foods, Inc. (July 11). Classroom sessions include information on public administration,
integrating a community-focused service-orientation and business development into
each dimension of public service as well as policies to develop accountability and
transparency in government.
July 15-28
The final module will explore the legal and economic institutions for civil society
and conflict mitigation and includes a trip to Austin where they will meet with Mandela
Fellows at the University of Texas and complete a joint service activity at the Central
Texas Food Bank. In Lubbock, the fellows will complete "ridealongs" with the Lubbock
Police Department (July 21 and 22), tour the Lubbock County Detention Center (July
22), Courthouse and District Attorney's Office (July 23) and attend a city council
meeting (July 23). Classroom sessions include information planning, budgeting, implementation
and monitoring of the human rights-based approach in the public sector.
For media availability, contact Amanda Castro-Crist in the Office of Communications & Marketing.
CONTACT: Nitasha Misra, administrative director, Office of International Affairs, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-3667 or nitasha.misra@ttu.edu
