Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence

Background

Since 2016, Appalachian State University (Appalachian) has hosted six cohorts of Mandela Washington Fellows (150 Fellows) for an institute focused on civic leadership. While the institute is of mutual benefit for both the Fellows from Africa and the hosting institution, the timing of the program during the summer months when the vast majority of the student body is away from Boone deprives the University of the opportunity to fully reap the maximum benefit. To that end, the University invites Appalachian Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni who have successfully completed their institute to apply for a four-week Appalachian Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence program on campus.

Appalachian Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni have returned to their home countries and have labored with new tools to better their communities. Fellows have had the opportunity to apply the ideas discussed during their institute and have developed Action Plans to guide them in their efforts. The implementation of such ideas have been met with both challenges and successes. It is recognized that the failures and successes of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni can serve as important models and learning opportunities for App State students.

Eligibility

All Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni who have successfully completed their institute at Appalachian and the Washington Summit are eligible to apply.  Two Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni will be selected each year, one in the fall term (August - December) and one in the spring term (January - May). 

Important Dates

One Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni will be selected each term.  The fall residency will run September to November.  The spring residency will run March to May. 

Applications are currently closed.  

Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence Expectations

Participating Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence are expected to actively engage with the student body in both curricular and co-curricular programs. Additionally, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence should expect to engage in professional development.

Curricular participation
Upon the invitation of individual faculty members, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will make contributions to class content at the direction of the professor. Participation will range from guest class lectures to attending individual class sessions and making appropriate contributions as a “discussant colleague”. The level of participation in individual class sessions will be a collaborative effort between the Alumni and faculty member. The Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will attend as many class sessions as his or her schedule will reasonably allow. Additionally, the Alumni may be called upon to give a lecture open to the student body and other interested members of the community.

Co-curricular participation
Upon the invitation of individual students and staff members, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will make contributions to co-curricular student clubs and organizations. The Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence may be called upon to greet and give remarks to such student groups and clubs or to provide insights on civic leadership.

Additionally, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will be expected to keep occasional office hours in the ACT office to mentor students and provide insights into existing programs lead by these offices.

Community participation
The Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will be called upon from time to time to visit with Appalachian’s community partners and educational organizations to give remarks and/or share about their work and home culture with interested agencies in the Boone area.

Professional development
At the direction of the Vice Chancellor for International Education and Development and the Director of Academic Civic Engagement, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will be called upon to engage in various professional development activities including occasional sessions on civic leadership and visits with individual faculty mentors.

Appalachian State University Expectations

Appalachian will provide round-trip airfare, homestay housing, and an honorarium (can be used to cover food and other expenses) for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence.  Additionally, the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence will be guided to various professional development opportunities. 

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The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 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 mandelawashingtonfellowship.org. The Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni-in-Residence program is designed for Alumni of Appalachian's leadership institute and is funded and administered by Appalachian State University.