This Summer, Michigan State University (MSU) hosted 25 Mandela Washington Fellows from 18 distinct African countries and nations for a six-week institute about Leadership in Civic Engagement. Launched in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and embodies the United States’ commitment to invest in the future of Africa. During the institute, the visiting fellows worked on their focus projects according to their own specific sectors, such as: youth empowerment; sustainable community development; women’s rights; LGBTQ+ rights; accessibility & disability advocacy; public health; media, arts, & culture; democracy & government; peacebuilding, etc.

Two members from GYAN's team, Luna Lu (Senior Innovation Officer) and Leticia Cherchiglia (Faculty Liaison & Program Coordinator), proudly served as Networking Activities Coordinators in this year's institute, being primarily responsible for organizing and coordinating six different networking sessions, which are explained below.

Structured Networking: Practical Sessions

Throughout the Institute, fellows were offered several opportunities to build professional relationships and practice networking skills by engaging with MSU faculty and staff, local community organizers, past Mandela Washington Fellows, and beyond. GYAN's role was focused on facilitating sessions to help fellows develop and implement their own networking plans, in addition to connecting fellows with relevant contacts as to leverage GYAN’s outreach network spanning across campus and beyond.

Beyond engaging in unstructured networking with several fellows, Lu and Cherchiglia coordinated six different structured networking sessions, briefly explained below:

• Building Networks: Introduction to GYAN's programming focused on African youth and discussion of open opportunities for fellows' empowerment, capacity building, and networking through GYAN's initiatives such as the International Youth Day 2024: Innovation Collaboratory.
  
   
• Networking Activities: Overview of upcoming sessions and exchange of ideas related to how to manage networking expectations during the fellowship program, setting goals, creating a networking plan, and the importance of unstructured networking for fellows' professional development.
   

• Speed Networking with MSU Faculty/Staff: This extremely interactive session was comprised of six distinct 10-minute rounds; during each round, fellows presented their one-minute elevator pitch to a different MSU expert, received feedback, and engaged in insightful group discussions. The six esteemed MSU Faculty/Staff who kindly participated in this session were:
  • Jennifer Marcy (College of Arts & Letters, Dept. of Religious Studies);
  • Jean-Paul Sewavi (International Studies & Programs, Office for Education Abroad);
  • Marcy Hessling O’Neil (College of Social Science, Dept. of Anthropology);
  • Peter Glendinning (College of Arts & Letters, Dept. of Art, Art History, & Design);
  • Raymond Pirouz (Broad College of Business, Dept. of Marketing);
  • Stephen L. Esquith (Residential College in the Arts and Humanities and College of Arts & Letters, Dept. of Philosophy).
    
     

• Networking Panel with GARD: The Global Alliance for Rapid Diagnostics (GARD) is a multidisciplinary peer-to-peer network of equals committed to improving health worldwide founded in 2016 by MSU Prof. Evangelyn Alocilja (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources & College of Engineering, Dept. of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering). During this session, Alocilja and Anthony James Franco (MSU Doctoral Student in Biosystems Engineering) shared with the fellows more information about GARD and the GARD Forum Innovation Challenge, an annual competition which is co-sponsored and co-organized by GYAN. After the panel, a group discussion followed focused on future networking opportunities and how fellows can foster an innovator’s mindset when designing and implementing the solutions proposed in their focus projects.
  
   

• Networking Lunch with Mandela Washington Fellows Alumni: This session was focused on providing networking strategies post-fellowship and connecting the fellows with four program alumni who have worked or are currently working with GYAN. Several tips to build strong partnerships were shared during this casual conversation with the fellows; the alumni also shared updates about their own focus projects and GYAN-related initiatives such as the Soft Skills Development for Conflict Management and Effective Collaboration Project, made possible through the Reciprocal Exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program. The four alumni were:
  • Calvin Manika, 2023 Fellow from Zimbabwe;
  • Chibuzor Agomuoh, 2018 Fellow from Nigeria;
  • Djamira Zorom, 2023 Fellow from Burkina Faso;
  • Youngerson Matete, 2023 Fellow from Zimbabwe.
    
     
• Fellows' Presentation during MSU's Office for Education Abroad's Professional Development Hour: To help amplify fellows' voices and provide them with additional public speaking experience, selected fellows presented their ideas to the Office for Education Abroad team as part of their monthly professional development program; afterwards all fellows engaged in a group discussion on potential future opportunities for engagement with the Office for Education Abroad and beyond. The three fellows (who were selected to present based on the nature of their focus projects) were:
  • David Oyet from Uganda, a strong advocate for the rights and wellbeing of people affected by mental health issues;
  • Murtala Abdullahi from Nigeria, an independent analyst and researcher with a keen interest in indigenous climate solutions;
  • Tsaone Mosweu from Botswana, a passionate fellow fighting for disability inclusion in local and global settings.

A Heartfelt Story of Successful Coaching

This year, Luna Lu also served as a mentor for fellow Maël Rabemananjara from Madagascar. When interviewed about their experiences as mentee and mentor, they shared the following:

"I couldn't have asked for a better mentor than Luna. I realized we were a perfect match the moment I discovered our shared passion for youth empowerment and positive education. When I shared my Focus Project with her—Being Well Together, a project aims at promoting mental health and well-being among young people in Antananarivo—she not only challenged me but also encouraged me in both my goals. Her extensive experience in grant writing was evident in the insightful feedback she provided. Luna helped me not only with my Focus Project but also with enhancing my Ignite Talk. As we made time to bond, I discovered that Luna is not only a caring woman who values her family but also an incredible artist. I admire her willingness to listen and her patience as a guide. I am grateful to know that we will stay in touch and continue working on my project together when I return home." - Maël Rabemananjara

"I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to coach Maël. Our shared passion for youth empowerment and positive education created a unique and special connection that I truly cherish. Her Focus Project, 'Being Well Together,' is an inspiring initiative aimed at promoting mental health and well-being among young people in Antananarivo. It was a privilege to provide suggestions, feedback, and insights, and her commitment to making a difference is truly admirable. I am also glad we had the chance to bond beyond our professional relationship. Maël and I exchanged our stories and experiences, which enriched our time together. I am grateful for the personal connection we have built. Our journey doesn't end here. I am here to support her and look forward to seeing the amazing impact she will make." - Luna Lu

Post-Fellowship: Presentation at the 2024 Innovation Collaboratory

To promote further networking in addition to fostering capacity building and leadership skills, all fellows were invited to submit proposals to GYAN's Innovation Collaboratory, a virtual event in honor of International Youth Day, celebrated annually on August 12. GYAN was pleased to have the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program represented through the presentations of three 2024 fellows (Irene David-Arinze from Nigeria, Joseph Malekala from United Republic of Tanzania, and Murtala Abdullahi from Nigeria) and one 2023 alumni (Calvin Manika from Zimbabwe). In addition to presenting their projects, these individuals had the opportunity to engage in professional development with experts and exchange ideas with other global youth.

In Closing: Reflection upon Networking Coordination

Both Leticia Cherchiglia and Luna Lu expressed how honored they were with the opportunity to serve as Networking Coordinators this year; when asked about her overall experience, Cherchiglia said: "Being in contact with all the fellows and witnessing their growth throughout those 6 weeks was incredible! I am particularly touched by fellows' kind words and positive comments shared during and after networking sessions. For example, Maël Rabemananjara said that because she got connected with Jean-Paul Sewavi during the speed networking session, she was not only able to learn from his experiences as a Francophone living in the U.S. but also gain valuable advice for both her personal and professional life. Comments such as these are very rewarding!"

As evidence of their hard work and fellows' overall satisfaction with the networking sessions, both Cherchiglia and Lu have been awarded honorary certificates by the MSU Institute's leadership team, spearheaded by Academic Director Salah Hassan and Academic Program Coordinator Anjam Chaudhary. GYAN is thankful for this opportunity to empower young African leaders and to keep serving as a connecting platform for youth-related research and development activities. Additionally, we would like to give our most sincere thanks to all of the partners, MSU faculty/staff who made the networking sessions a resounding success!