Morgan State Receives $100K Grant to Launch African Youth Leadership Training Initiative

Morgan State University today announced a $100,000 grant from the White House Fellowship for Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in support of MSU’s Center for Global Studies and International Education (MSU-CGSIE).

Morgan will host 25 students from Sub-Saharan African nations for a summer forum on public management, which will provide professional development in environmental justice, transportation, public health, housing, community engagement, and public policy.

The forum will host its inaugural class of participants this summer, and will continue as an annual initiative through July 2018. Morgan officials call the program a signal of Morgan’s expanding global outreach, particularly in African nations.

“This is an extraordinary honor for the university, and a public sign of confidence in our standing as a national leader in higher education,” said Morgan President David Wilson. “We are intentional in our outreach to African nations and, in doing so, building the pipeline of leadership and expertise in globally connected industries.”

Last year, the university entered into memoranda of understanding with several South African institutions, pledging educational and cultural exchange with students and faculty. In Tanzania, the MSU School of Engineering and the Institute for Urban Research, lend support and resources to academic and workforce preparation programs.

Morgan’s Institute for Urban Research, School of Engineering, and Center for Global Studies and International Education, will provide instruction and training for the program, which will be managed by the Center for Global Studies and International Education.

According to the leadership of MSU-CGSIE, the YALI initiative supports young African leaders in their efforts to spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across Africa. The national initiative will bring 500 young leaders to the United States each year for academic coursework and leadership training, and will also create unique opportunities in Africa for Fellows to put new skills to practical use in leading organizations, communities and countries.

The university will be eligible for additional $100,000 grants annually for up to five years.