A Six-Week Academic and Leadership Institute
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders at Bridgewater State University for 2024 will offer participants a comprehensive and challenging program in public management. Melding faculty members with distinguished practitioners in the field, the Fellows will be exposed to an array of viewpoints and skill development opportunities that will deepen their understanding of leadership, decision-making and policy implementation.
At every session throughout the program, there will be the opportunity for open and thought-provoking interchange among faculty, practitioners and Fellows, always conscious of the foundational objective of assisting the Fellows as current or potential public managers. These academic sessions will be followed by a series of site visits that relate directly to the topics covered during the week. These site visits will allow the Fellows not only to acquire “real world” insights into public management, but also to develop networking links that will be useful once the program has been completed.
At the end of each week, there will be an opportunity to assess the academic and practical applications of the topic and apply that knowledge to the specific challenges in the home countries of each Fellow. During the week, the program will offer the Fellows opportunities to participate in a range of community service and cultural programs at various non-profit agencies, museums, special events, and local and regional gatherings that further provide insight into the character and values of southeastern Massachusetts and indeed the entire Commonwealth.
The overall learning process will be guided by a focus on specific public leadership and management issues using an Integrative Learning Framework that allows for weekly, formative feedback to the Mandela Washington Fellows. Each topic has been selected for its breadth, depth, and alignment with BSU’s academic strengths and geographic location. Working collaboratively with BSU faculty and expert practitioners, Mandela Washington Fellows will locate and activate new strategies to solve complex problems in a supportive learning environment. Along with our academic curriculum, experiential-learning site visits, community service and integrative learning process, the Institute will offer the Fellows opportunities to enhance leadership development, innovation challenges, networking opportunities and reflexive practices.