Call for United States Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2024 is open now!
United States Department of State Professional Fellows Program—Advancing Young Women Agribusiness Entrepreneurs and Innovators: A Rwanda-South Africa-Zambia-Zimbabwe-U.S. Partnership
The Advancing Young Women Professional Fellows Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by Michigan State University (US), University of Rwanda (Rwanda), University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Zambia (Zambia) and Chinhoyi University of Technology (Zimbabwe). The goal of the program is to build Fellows’ capacity and skills in agro-entrepreneurship and agri-food system innovation and advance their ability to support women’s economic empowerment. Rwandan, South African, Zambian and Zimbabwean. Fellows will develop their leadership capacity and professional skills through a fully funded five-week fellowship program in the U.S.
The U.S. program will include a four-week professional internship with Michigan organizations focused on agriculture, innovation, agro-entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment coupled with additional seminars and training with professionals from Michigan State University and throughout the state of Michigan.
Founded by Michigan State University in 2016 in collaboration with African colleagues, the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) is a consortium of MSU, ten leading African universities, and a distinguished network for African research institutes. AAP members are committed to working in equitable partnership to transform lives and address global challenges. The AAP builds on MSU’s long-term engagement in Africa, building on the foundation laid by the African Studies Center and evolving models of engagement in line with AAP’s guiding principles of accountability, equity, inclusivity, sustainability and transparency.
AAP takes a cooperative approach to addressing global challenges by building networks across all sectors—including universities, NGOs, government, and the private sector— to partner around core thematic areas including agri-food systems; water, energy, and the environment; culture; youth empowerment; education; and health and nutrition. AAP has also identified three program pillars focused on 1) building bridges across sectors, disciplines, and continents; 2) transforming institutions so they are better able to engage in equitable and sustainable partnerships; and 3) transforming lives on the ground through engaged research and scholarship that address shared challenges. Gender and inclusion, and policy are both cross-cutting themes of the AAP and are woven into all AAP-sponsored and implemented activities. AAP catalyzes, supports, and mobilizes its multidirectional partnerships in such a way that the resulting activities positively transform institutions and livelihoods in Africa, the U.S., and beyond.
Location:
United StatesBenefits
- Fellows will develop their leadership capacity and professional skills through a fully funded five-week fellowship program in the U.S.
- The U.S. program will include a four-week professional internship with Michigan organizations focused on agriculture, innovation, agro-entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment coupled with additional seminars and training with professionals from Michigan State University and throughout the state of Michigan.
Eligibilities
Who Should Apply
- Women entrepreneurs, social innovators, or small and medium business owners or managers and other leaders working in the agriculture and food sectors
- Individuals (of any gender) in civil society and NGOs working on programs that support women in the agriculture and food sectors in their respective countries
- Policymakers, ministry employees, and others in the public sector (of any gender) focused on supporting and improving opportunities for women in the agriculture or food sector
- Academic staff (of any gender) who are implementing programs that advance women in the agriculture and food sectors
- 25-40 years old
- A citizen, national, or permanent resident of Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
- Is living and working in Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, or Zimbabwe at the time of the application
- Fluent in both spoken and written English
- Has at least two years of professional/working experience in their field
- Has demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills and a commitment to community development
- Has employer’s support for participating in the program (for those not self-employed). For those self-employed, has recommendation from local authorities at the district and/or community levels
- Is interested in participating in a reciprocal program for American participants coming to your country
- Preference will be given to those who are in an earlier state of their careers
- Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously had the opportunity to travel to the U.S.
- Finalists must be fully vaccinated in accordance with current CDC guidelines, in order to travel to the United States.
Individuals not eligible for application
- U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States
- Spouses of U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States
- Individuals participating in academic, training or research programs in the United States at the time of application
- Individuals residing or working outside their home countries at the time of application
- Employees and their families of non-profit organizations who administer the Professional Fellows Program on behalf of the U. S. Department of State. This provision does not disqualify self-supporting members of families who live apart from their parents
- Local employees of the U.S. missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development are ineligible for grants during the period of their employment and for one year following the termination of employment
- Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development employees for a period of one year following the termination of such employment. This provision does not disqualify self-supporting members of families who live apart from their parents
Application Process
- This program is recruiting young Rwandan, South African, Zambian and Zimbabwean professionals from diverse backgrounds in the private, public, non-governmental, and education sectors who are either women agribusiness entrepreneurs or individuals working to increase women’s economic engagement in the agricultural sector.
- The initial application for the program will remain open until February 16, 2024.
- Interviews for selected semi-finalists will take place in March, 2024.
- Invitations to participate in the program will be sent in April, 2024 and applicants that are not selected to participate will also be notified.
- Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications, the program team will not be able to update individual applicants on the status of their submission until the review process is complete.
- Tentative Spring 2025 program dates: May 10 – June 16, 2025.
Application Deadline: February 17, 2024
Application ClosedOfficial link
