Ivy Tech Bloomington to host Mandela Fellows from 18 African countries

BLOOMINGTON – Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus will host 25 African Fellows from 18 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa June 22-24, 2016. The visitors are Fellows of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a program of President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative.

Indiana University was selected as a partner university to host Mandela Fellows and provide a six-week academic and leadership institute with a focus on civic engagement. As part of the institute, Ivy Tech will provide three days of civic engagement activities and organized networking opportunities on campus and in the community.

“The Fellows are all civic leaders with proven records of creating positive change in their organizations and communities,” said Jennie Vaughan, Ivy Tech Bloomington Chancellor. “Ivy Tech is proud to host them on campus and will help connect them with local professionals in their fields of interest.”

On Wednesday, June 22 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fellows will learn about the purpose and mission of a comprehensive community college system. The session will be hosted by Ivy Tech Bloomington’s academic leadership.

On Thursday, June 23 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, Fellows will attend a panel discussion on the role of non-profits, and entrepreneurial thinking to solve community problems. The panel includes Jeff Baldwin, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington and Ellettsville; Barry Lessow, CEO, United Way of Monroe County; and Beverly Calendar-Anderson, City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. From noon to 5:00 p.m the Fellows will tour the Monroe County Court House and learn justice and legal issues affecting our community and meet with Judges Galvin, Kellams, Diekhoff, and Todd.

On Friday, Jue 24 from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m., Fellows will attend a panel discussion on the role of community colleges in workforce development. Panelists include Shannon Laurent, Partner, CLJ Associates; Dr. Diana Smith Nixon, Assistant Professor, School of Computing and Informatics, Ivy Tech Community College; Jeryl Schulenburg, Senior Human Resources Generalist, Cook Incorporated; and Kara Zemlyak, Human Resources Generalist, Cook Pharmica. From 11 a.m. to noon, Fellows will meet with Ivy Tech faculty, staff, and students in Fellows’ areas of interest or expertise. Friday’s activities will conclude in entrepreneurship discussion and tours with Tyler Henke, Founder of Co-Work Bloomington and Linda Williamson, Interim Director of City of Bloomington Economic & Sustainable Development. Fellows will tour entrepreneurial spaces in Bloomington and the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center.

The Fellows are from diverse areas of expertise including medicine, communications, political science, law, social work, business, gender studies, architecture, educational administration, mechanical engineering, economics, information systems, accounting, marketing, and international cooperation and development. Their home countries include Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia (2), Gabon, Guinea-Conakry, Kenya (2), Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria (3), Senegal, South Africa (2), Sudan (2), Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe (2).

Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington fall classes begin August 22 but students should enroll before August 12. Visit ivytech.edu/applynow or visit campus, located at 200 Daniels Way on the west side of Bloomington. Questions? Call (812) 330-6013.