The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is joining IREX, an international nonprofit organization, and the U.S. Department of State to host 25 participants in President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative for a six-week training session.

Young African Leaders Initiative, known as YALI, is an effort by the Obama administration to advance future African leaders, according to YALI’s website. President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they advance growth, democracy and peace across Africa, according to the site.

Bill Sullivan, assistant dean for external relations at Maxwell, said that YALI is an exciting initiative and he’s glad that Maxwell and Syracuse University will be involved. Maxwell was chosen to host the sessions after submitting a competitive proposal to YALI, Sullivan said.

IREX, the International Research and Exchanges Board, is an organization devoted to positively developing society by creating leadership, programs, education and independent media.

The sessions will be six weeks long and take place on the SU campus, Sullivan said.

“We’re still working things out, when it comes to what will be happening during the program, but things will be based primarily in public administration,” Sullivan said.

The first of the three training sessions will take place this summer, and two more will be held at later dates. Although the program will take place in the summer, Sullivan said SU students on campus will have the opportunity to interact with the African students.

“Usually things are relatively quiet in June and July, but whoever happens to be here, we will definitely try to engage and involve in the program,” he said.

Maxwell is looking to bring not only its own public administration faculty to teach the sessions, but also social science and public administration faculty from other institutions, Sullivan said.

SU students had nothing but praise for Maxwell’s efforts to bring the program to Syracuse.

“I believe it is always good when academic institutions seek to help out those who strive to lead and better themselves,” said Javier Velez, a freshman political science and television, radio and film major.

Students also said that Maxwell is hosting this event just adds to the diversity that makes up SU.

“Before I came to Syracuse I heard a lot about the diversity here and that’s the reason why I came, and I love how much this school puts on diversity and helping people all around the world,” Kai Zhu, a television, radio and film graduate student said.

Though the first session hasn’t yet taken place, Maxwell hopes that it can host YALI participants in the future, said Sullivan, assistant dean for external relations. Hosting events can lead to global connections moving forward.

“This is more than a single occurrence and based on the experiences that I and the school have had with other parts of the world, things have a tendency to start out small,” Sullivan said. “However, if we connect with this first group, we have a way of building relationships and partnerships going forward.”

Published on February 11, 2014 at 2:05 am

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306