 Hi everyone, I'm Britta Burenlin with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State. Today we're going to talk to you about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, which I've had the great pleasure to work on for the last year and a half. I had a chance to speak to some of you a couple of weeks ago during our first live Q&A program for the 2015 application process, and we received a lot of great questions. I encourage you all to get your applications in. The deadline is November 5th and that is less than a week away. Nelson Mandela said, It always seems impossible until it is done, and that may be how you're feeling about the application right now. And for you today, we have a very special guest who can answer your questions. Halawi Sunet is a 2014 fellow and he is joining us via video feed from Ethiopia to answer your questions. This is a great opportunity to speak with someone directly who not long ago was just like you, a person in Africa struggling to finish his application. Now he's a 2014 fellow back in Ethiopia with new inspiration, friends and skills. Let me just start by saying a few introductory words about the fellowship. As you probably know, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the President's Young African Leaders Initiative, or YALI, President Obama's commitment to invest in the next generation of Africa's leaders. The fellowship aims to build and sustain a network of young African leaders across critical sectors and to cement stronger ties between sub-Saharan Africa and the United States. Through this initiative, young African leaders are gaining skills and connections to accelerate their own careers and to contribute more robustly to good governance, economic development, and peace and prosperity across Africa. So now a few main points about the program. It is a six-week academic and leadership institute in one of three tracks, business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, or public management. For the 2015 summer program, we will select 500 of sub-Saharan Africa's top young leaders aged about 25 to 35 to participate. Fellows will participate in groups of 25 at one of 20 institutes. Held at diverse universities and colleges throughout the United States, the institutes include academic study, practical leadership training, workshops, site visits, networking opportunities, and mentoring. And at the end of the institutes, all 500 Mandela Washington Fellows will convene in Washington, D.C. for a three-day summit as we did this past year. During the summit, fellows will have the chance to meet and interact with each other, as well as with President Barack Obama and other prominent U.S. government business and civic leaders. The 2014 summit was a highlight of the program, and with the feedback from last year's cohort, the 2015 program should be even more dynamic. Up to 100 fellows will remain in the United States for an additional six to eight weeks after their academic institute and summit to participate in internships in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors with organizations throughout the United States. Then fellows will return home to Africa, where they will have access to additional programming, including leadership centers, mentoring, community service opportunities, and internships throughout Africa. Now, just a couple months ago, I was with a group of 2014 fellows after a visit to the White House. One of the fellows came up to me, and it was Halawi, who I'd met a couple of times. He asked about the recruitment for 2015, and he told me enthusiastically that he had seen this very program last year, and he had found it helpful. He asked if we might consider including a fellow for the next program, and I thought that was a great idea. In fact, his idea was so great that I asked him if he'd be willing to take part himself. And I'm so excited that everything has worked out, and he's joining us live all the way from Addis Ababa. And so I'd like to introduce Halawi Sunet. Halawi is an architecture working on innovative, green, and affordable housing alternatives for lower-income neighborhoods in Ethiopia. He researches and lectures for the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development, and is the founder of the journal Building Ethiopia. Halawi received his bachelor's degree in architecture from Addis Ababa University and a master's in advanced studies in urban design at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Hi, Halawi. Okay, I can't hear him. Okay, Halawi, how did you hear about the fellowship? Can you hear me now? Yes, there we go. Okay, do you want to say a few words about yourself? Yes, I'm a 2014 Mandela Washington fellow from Ethiopia. I was in the public management track at the University of Minnesota, and I also had the opportunity to intern in Maryland for the follow-on internet program. Okay, so I'm going to ask you a few questions about your application process and about your fellowship. How did you hear about the fellowship? I heard about the fellowship about one year ago from the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. And why did you apply? I applied for three main reasons. One was that the program sounded interesting, the fact that it presented this very intense, well-designed package in such a reasonably such a short time. And the second was that it's also an opportunity of follow-on programs once we return back in our respective communities in Africa. So I found that was something that I could invest my energy and time on. In that case, the wonderful opportunity to meet with President Obama was a very powerful motivator. And can you tell everyone what are the parts of the application that you found difficult or what do you think helped your candidacy? Part of the application that was difficult for me was the concept of understanding at the time of the concept of leadership. I used to associate it a lot with a position or a level of recognition and not understand it also. I understood it also as being largely about behavior and capacity and the ability to influence. It became a little easier for me and then it became about how to communicate and how to demonstrate what I've done and what was inside of me. And the question I think helped my candidacy was there was one question, an essay part that asked if there was initiative that we had taken part of and how we had gathered support for it. As you mentioned earlier, I was the founding member of the first architectural urban scientific journal in Ethiopia and then that I think really gave me the confidence and the comfort to apply once I saw this question. But in general, one of the challenges was the mental challenge I faced through the application. A lot of questions would pop in my mind reminding me and challenging me how tough this application and how competitive this application would be. So every time I had to come up with counterarguments to convince myself that I have to push on. So that was, I remember, through the application and also through the interview, one of my biggest challenges. I think that's a good point because I know we've gotten a lot of questions about what do we consider leadership. And so I just encourage anyone who's watching that you most likely are a leader in many different ways. And it's just a matter of thinking it through and really writing those essays that talk about your strengths and the things that you've done. So it's important not to doubt yourself and your experience and your leadership capacity. Okay, great. So I've got another question. I guess sort of following up on that, what would be your advice to applicants who are struggling now to fill out the application, which by the way has more questions than the application that you felt filled out? I would advise potential applicants to be bold and expressive and choose the right experience among the things they have done. Do a bit of research and think through and revise their application before they submit it. I also recommend that they think carefully because they're communicating to someone that doesn't know them. So what is that special thing they would like to communicate or that they want the reviewers to know about them? So I'd like them to think about these questions as they're writing the application. But whatever they do, please finish the application. At this point it is not decided who will be a potential and then a Washington fellow. So every second that is taken from this point on, even through the application process and through the interviews, has the power to determine whether you will be a potential fellow or somebody else. So I urge them and I encourage them to please compete and finish the whole process. By November 5th, because that is the deadline. And I have to agree with you that it's very important for applicants to be as specific as possible in answering their questions, to be specific rather than general, so that we as the readers and the selection committee really can get a feel for who you are. Okay, so Halal, we have another question for you. What should potential fellows expect in the program? They should expect first and foremost 24 other African talented, very positive, energetic and experienced fellows once they arrive in Africa because they're going to meet them the next day. And second, they should expect a very well-designed curriculum that is delivered by first class professors. Also an opportunity, an experiential learning opportunity to know about different organizations of the US, the culture of the US, and get to discover the America from inside out, basically. And they also should expect once the academic institutes are over with, they should expect to meet leaders from all sectors. And that's a very summit. I'm talking about the presidential summit that they will be having with the president and other US leaders. So they should also know, right, and those of them who are elected to participate in the internship, they will have the opportunity to apply what we have learned in the academic institutes and get an in-depth experience of how the US system and how the work environment in the US is. Can you tell us a little bit about that, the work environment in the United States? Can you tell us a bit about your internship experience? My internship I wanted to be very a great match because I had taken the public management track at the academic institutes and then I had the chance to intern at a private organization. The company I worked for was called International Green Structures. They were based in Maryland, so they provide affordable housing structures for customers all around the world, including Africa. So that was very interesting for me to get to work on their projects, especially in their operations in Kenya. I was closely working with the marketing department and developing marketing plans for their operations in Africa. But what was beyond my expectation was that my hosts have been going out of their way to make my experience wonderful and comfortable. And they really elevated my perception about Americans as individuals. And I'm happily compelled to call them my IGF family now. And we plan in the future to visit Africa. We talked about it. We definitely are keeping in touch right now one time back. So that was a very exciting closing for me. And that really touches on one of the main goals of the program, which is mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. So I'm sure they learned so much about Ethiopia and about Africa from meeting you, and that's a wonderful story. Okay, I have another question. What is on the crest of potentially fast-moving and innovative progress? How do you feel the Washington Fellowship experience has better prepared you to be a leader in that process? When I was in Minnesota at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, we talked often about two interesting concepts. One was disruptive innovation, and the other was grand challenges. A disruptive innovation is right now some places in Africa are jumping to cells without ever having to see land by faults. So that was the concept of disruptive innovation. And then grand challenges was that some problems are not meant to be fixed. They are meant to be managed, especially problems that are noble, that are highly complex and that require resources beyond the capacity of one organization or one discipline or one sector. So these two concepts were discussing about them in Minnesota at the Public Institutes. And this fast progress that you talked about in Africa requires high-skilled workforce to sustain it. So what the Mandela Washington Fellowship has done for me is it has imposed me to the best practices of American knowledge in such a short time from the different professors we have talked to and from the debates and the discussions we've had among the fellows. And also it underlined the importance of collaboration, participatory processes and community engagement in soul and bringing about change and sustainable development. So those were my biggest takeaways from the Institute. And your career has focused on the promotion of environmentally sound design for housing. Did the Mandela Washington Fellowship bring new dimensions to your understanding of your field and your potential in it? Yes, most definitely. My internship company, International Green Structures, they had this amazing building material that was recycled from a straw of wheat and rice. It's a wall panel and that was what they used to build houses with. Interestingly also I had the opportunity to research this material two years ago back in Ethiopia. It was very interesting for us to look for innovative green technologies, building materials, recyclable materials for providing affordable housing solutions. So through the internship experience I've had the opportunity to experiment and explore innovative environmentally friendly techniques as well as building materials. So that's what I also intend to continue working on and also collaborate with my internship hosts in the future in Africa. Great, that's great. So you met young professionals like yourself as you referenced all over sub-Saharan Africa during the fellowship. I'd love to hear a little bit more about how that has inspired you, have you maintained contact with them, and do you have any collaborative plans? Part of the 24 fellows met the Academy Institute. We were from 18 different countries. Basically we have been friends. We have social media, we keep in contact on Facebook groups and on WhatsApp. On the WhatsApp group we talk to each other every single day. So we encourage each other, we cheer, we tease, we communicate, we update, we wish each other happy birthdays and basically we're talking. And also to mention a recent example, we had two Zambian fellows in the Academy Institute and we have been wishing them, sending them our condolences about the passing away of their president in the last couple of days. So basically we're talking about keeping in contact. We have planned to meet one of our fellows in the class. She has offered to organize a summer meeting for us in seashells. She's from seashells. So currently we are planning to meet each other in seashells in 2015. Besides that, some of the fellows for work purposes who are traveling to the countries of the other fellows are keeping in contact and then they have been updating us the rest of us through WhatsApp and Facebook, their experiences so far. That's great. So it's really a vibrant network that you've created with that group. That's wonderful. The fellowship is also an incredible opportunity for individual growth, both personally and professionally. So just curious, how did it change you? The fellowship impacted me personally in my career in many ways. The first and foremost, of course, being the networks and conditions I have had the chance to make, both the African connections and the global connections are very valuable. The concepts I've learned at the academic institute, the courses I took, some of them as an architect, I've never had the opportunity to take them while I was studying for my bachelor, like strategic planning, financial management, separate practices, different concepts of community, engaging communities, etc. I have had the chance to learn these concepts in a more formal way and to discuss and meet with them. So this also was one of my biggest takeaways besides the networks and connections I have made. Also, I've energized and I'm stretching myself now. What I think is possible now is different than what I used to think was possible before. So it has also energized me to aim higher, dream higher, and I've been inspired both to the academic institute and the internship and the wonderful people I have met in Africa and from the United States. And what have you done to share that inspiration and the opportunity that you went through with others in your community? Because I was participating in the internship program, I just got back one month ago and after I got back, immediately the new application started. So mostly my work has been revolving around promoting the program, doing Q&As with the embassy for potential applicants, doing interviews on radios to explain about the program. So my work has evolved around this question and this new application process, but also we have been in contact constantly with the Ethiopian fellows and we are developing projects and proposals to do together. So that's also in direction. Okay, Halawi, now I am going to move to live questions and some of them will be for me and some of them will be for you. So here's the first question. This one I'm going to go ahead and answer. Can someone submit a second application or make corrections on a submitted application because I realize that I made mistakes and I'd like to edit the application? Do spelling and grammar mistakes affect your chances of being selected? So it's a couple of questions there, but to answer the first question, no, you should not submit a second application. You do submit an application, but all of your applications may be considered non-eligible. So just go ahead and leave the application that you have. I wouldn't worry too much about spelling and grammar mistakes. You know, we do understand that for many of you, English is not your first language and as long as you were able to kind of get your main points across about who you are and what you've done and what you would like to get out of the fellowship, I'm sure your application will stand on its own. Do not send in another application. Okay, I have another question. It is, I'm an African student studying in an outside African country. Am I eligible to apply for the fellowship? Okay, the answer there is yes. As long as you are a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country and residing in or living in a Sub-Saharan African country, you are most certainly eligible to apply for the fellowship. So you could be Ethiopian and living in Kenya, for example, or Kenyan and living in Ethiopia. As long as you are living in an African country and a citizen of, it could be a different African country, you are definitely eligible to apply. Okay, so this question is for you, Halawi. What is the status of formally trained fellows? What impacts are they bringing in their community? For new fellows that are back, are doing a lot of outreach programs for the community. Some of them are also involved in their own businesses and some have gone to establish new enterprises. And some of us are backing our previous jobs and doing our best to contribute what we have learned through our communities and organizations. Okay, great. Here's another question. This one is for me. I'm an African student studying in another African country. In which country do I apply and where would I interview? Do nationals living in foreign African nations stand equal opportunities with the nationals in their own countries? Okay, I'll answer that as best I can. You don't actually need to worry about where to apply because the application should be submitted through the Internet. You can go to youngafricanleaders.state.gov to see that application. We will work out here at the State Department, we'll work out which embassy reviews your application, but most likely if you're studying in another African country, if you're selected, if you're selected as a semi-finalist and you need to come in for an interview, most likely you would interview in the country that you are studying in. But we will work that out and we will definitely let you know and I would not worry about it too much. It should not hurt your chances. Here's a question for you, Halaoui. For the fellows, what happens when you... It says when you are back from America. What programs are available? Many programs available through the Nellah Washington Fellowship follow-on programs administered by the USAID. Grants are available for those that attended in the business and entrepreneurship track. There are also internship possibilities in Africa. These are part of the formal programs, but there are also opportunities to develop your own projects and the connections you have gained for you in the US. So these are also a third opportunity that is available for you once you're back in Africa. Yeah, and just to add, I would say this program is unique in that it really doesn't end when you leave the United States to go back to your home country. There is, as Halaoui just mentioned, a very robust programming through the State Department, but mostly through USAID for all kinds of activities once you're back in your home country. Okay, I have another question. When are you announcing those that have been selected for interviews? Let's see, your application is due November 5th, which is next week, as you know, and most likely the interviews would take place in January and February. So if you are being called in for an interview, the US Embassy or consulate would arrange the interview with you, most likely bringing you into their office, but it could take place somewhere else, and that would most likely be in January or February. It is possible that some people would come in for interviews a little bit earlier than that in December, but most likely in the very beginning of 2015. Okay, here's another question. Are there any plans of increasing the number of fellows that are able to come to the US? Well, Halaoui heard this as well when we were at the 2014 summit with President Obama. He announced to all of the fellows and to the world that we'll be doubling the program and bringing 1,000 fellows in 2016. So those of you that applied last year and were not selected, not to worry, there's still many chances to apply and in 2016 we'll be bringing twice as many fellows and probably beyond 2017-2018. Okay, here's another question. What will happen if a person from a war-torn area is selected for an interview? Where will he, she be interviewed? Again, that would be up to the post, the embassy or the consulate in your country, and we will definitely make arrangements for you to be interviewed safely. And the embassy did work in these kinds of situations last year and we'll do everything we can to accommodate those interviews. Here's another question. If I have already applied, how do I submit all my supporting documents? Can I send my documents to IRX by email? Well, it's a good question, but unfortunately if you've already applied, that is your application and you can't add supporting documents. Here's another question. In the application, you talk about using the third person. Does it refer to the whole application or where it is only stated to? Can you give an example of given, middle, and surname? Okay, the third person is when I say he. I would guess that for most of the questions you should actually talk in the first person. So if the question is, describe the role you play in the community. You want to say, I am a leader in my community because where do you see yourself professionally? Again, you want to speak in the first person. Your first name would be, for instance, my name is Britta Suzanne Burenland. Britta is my first name. Your surname would be the name that is typically your last name. So I hope that's helpful. I know in some cultures and some countries it can be a little bit different, but I wouldn't get too concerned about that because you just need to get your applications in and if it's somewhat different from your... You should try to use the name exactly as it's given in your passport. If there are changes, we can adjust for that. Hallawi, do you want to add anything? Because I know with you sometimes we've seen your middle name and sometimes we've seen your last name. Maybe you can help out on that question. Regarding the name, for example, in Ethiopia here we use the middle name at the left name, but in our passwords it's written the surname, the grandfather's name is written as the surname. So I highly recommend you use your name how it is written in your password because that will be the basis for your official documents. So I recommend you use your name as it is written in your password. Yeah, agreed. Okay, here's another question. Is there any provision made for students who would be studying during the period of the fellowship? Well, if I understand the question, if you're a student who's studying during the fellowship that's going to be a little tricky as Hallawi knows it's a very intensive six weeks and seven if you count the experience with the summit, the coursework and the activities and the cultural programming and the network and the mentoring, it's very much a full day and I believe that it's pretty hard to continue with your studies. So if you should try to, as much as you can, carve out six weeks for yourself where you can really dedicate yourself to the program. Hallawi, do you want to add anything to that since you've really experienced it? Basically the whole week including the weekend is dedicated for different activities designed by university hosts. So I'm afraid there won't be that much opportunity to work on your studies, but of course you can still, during the evenings, communicate with your work organizations. For example, if you have to respond to some emails, there are also opportunities time opportunities to respond to emails back home. Besides that, the days are really scheduled and very busy and packed and also in the evenings a lot of discussions and debates and cultural events happen during the evening so those are also taken up. So I recommend, like Rita said, to finish your studies before or reserve some of the course work after you get back. Okay, here's another question. Can I be selected without much working experience? I am a dedicated and active young man in my community and college. How significant is being involved in volunteer activity in the selection process? You know, it sounds to me if you're a dedicated and active young man, if you're active in your college or university, that certainly could substitute for what we kind of traditionally think as volunteer opportunities. So I would just encourage you to apply. You don't need to have years and years of experience. You just need to really demonstrate an interest in doing something specific and real leadership potential. Hallowe, do you have anything to add? Even though the program says people between the ages of 25 and 35 should apply. For example, in my academic community in Minnesota, there was a fellow that was 22 years old and also that there were other fellows aged 20. So I think it will be possible for you not having too much work experience to make it to the final process. I would encourage you to complete the application process and demonstrate your leadership and influence the capacity. Yeah, and just to clarify, the eligibility criteria is 25 to 35, but candidates under the age of 25 will be considered. For this year, you do need to be at least 21 at the time of your application. So that's the clarification on the age questions. We encourage you to go ahead and apply. Okay, here's another question about selection. Do you use a quota system to select candidates? Do you give equal opportunity to different African countries? So it's a good question. The State Department has sort of soft targets for different countries, so we do have kind of a general idea of how many fellows we will take from each country, but it is not a hard number, and if we see a great number of really strong candidates from one country, we will include them. So there are soft targets, but there is equal opportunity, I would say. Okay, let's see if we have any other questions coming in. Okay, here's one. What techniques do you use in selecting fellows in order to give equal opportunity to everyone that is applying? Techniques. Well, let me just tell you a little bit about the selection process. So after you send in your application, every application will be read and scored by a reader. So the reader will look at the answers to your questions and how they match up to the criteria. So you should look at the criteria very carefully and actually give your application a score. They'll also look at your resume and other parts that you submitted. They will also either highly recommend, recommend or not recommend you, and those applications with their score and the recommendation will go to the U.S. embassy in your country, and the embassy can look through all the applications. They can see the full range of everyone who applied from that country, and they will make the decisions on who to bring in for an interview. Then they will send back to Washington their top names, and we have a committee in Washington that has members from the State Department, members from IREX and others who will go through all of those top candidates and make the final selections. And we have to do a lot of thinking about the cohort of 25 that Halawi talked about, making sure that each institute has a diverse group, a variety of different countries that there are the right number of applicants, the right number of fellows in each track, and so on and so forth. So it is really a three-pronged selection, and that's pretty much how it works. Here's a question for you, Halawi. If I want to get into communication with someone in my country who is a Mandela Washington fellow, how can I get in touch with them? I think of right now the easiest way for you is to go to the Facebook page of Mandela Washington Fellowship and you can send them a message saying I'm from this African country and I want to keep in touch with these fellows and then they can forward you maybe with the scent of the fellows you address this. Maybe that's the easiest way I can think of right now. Yeah, and I suppose that the embassy or the consulate in your home country might be having events, especially right now during the recruitment drive. I don't know if the question is specific to one specific leader, but if you're sort of interested in meeting other Mandela Washington fellows, you might go to some of those events if they're open to the public. Just a thought. Halawi, another question. During the fellowship, there are incredible young leaders like yourself, as you mentioned. Can you describe some of the qualities of the first cohort of fellows? What caliber of leadership should applicants be prepared to demonstrate? I would say they demonstrate a passion and an enthusiasm and an energy for change and for making positive contributions to their communities, to their countries, and to the public. I'm from La Nina, and I'm an engineer here at the University of Costa Rica. Like I mentioned earlier, I attended a public-management institute in Minnesota, so most of my cohorts, most of my fellow in my class were public servants ranging from a member of parliament to lawyers, to nurses, not to mention people in the business and entrepreneurship track and the city leadership. So expect to meet people from various and from all sectors and be energetic and highly enthusiastic fellows. Yeah, you all were very enthusiastic, weren't you? Yes. Okay, here's a question for both of us. What does the panel look for in the area of personal statements since it seems that the bulk of the decisions are based on the essays? So it's a good question. It's a tricky question. I think my tip would be to be very specific, especially if the question asks for a specific example. You want to give one specific example. I would also say, you know, get to the point, be clear and concise. I would say be personal right in a way that lets us get a feel for you and your passion and what you're working in. Again, what the selection committee is looking for are those things that are listed in the criteria. Things like your leadership potential and your demonstrate accomplishment in either business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership or public management and sort of your thoughts for how you will apply what you learned in the fellowship when you return to your home country and a commitment to go back to your communities and your countries and share the skills and the networks and the things that you've learned with many, many other Africans. Howie, do you want to add something? Yes. I highly recommend that you select a few things and communicate them with the documents in the essays, in your resumes and in the supporting documents. You might have done multiple things, but choose the one that you think makes you special or can demonstrate your leadership capacity and abilities and really try to connect these different applications. You made the essays and the supporting documents so that the viewer and the reader that's reading your application get a picture and a whole image and understanding of what you've done. So I recommend you do your best to connect and communicate a coherent message through the different application pages. Yeah. Okay. I'd agree. That sounds good. Here's another question. The benefits for the Yali and Mandela fellowship are obvious for Africa and Africans. What are the benefits for America and Americans? It's a good question. I think all of our exchange programs with the Department of State and especially here at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs really strive to promote mutual understanding between citizens of the U.S. and citizens of countries of other countries around the world. Obviously, the Mandela Washington Fellowship bringing Africans to the U.S., all of the Africans who are spending six weeks on our U.S. campuses and coming to Washington, D.C. and meeting Americans, obviously, these Africans are learning a lot about American values, about American communities and really about who we are. You know, obviously, when you're living in a place, you're learning a lot about their culture and their people. But I think that this program very much tries to get the Africans out in the communities meeting Americans also so that Americans can learn a lot about these countries in Africa. Many, many Americans have never traveled. Probably most Americans have never traveled to Africa. Many Americans know very little about Africa. And so it's really wonderful to see my American colleagues and friends and kids learning more about not just Africa as a continent, but the specific countries that you all come from. I think there are very tangible benefits to Americans. I would also say that this program and President Obama's vision is really for these leaders to go home and promote economic development and peace and prosperity in Africa. And that's good for everyone. That's good for Americans. It's good for Africans. It's good for everyone around the world. Hallawi, can you talk about how you presented your experiences in your essays? The essay questions last year were different than these years. We had three essay questions. Like I said earlier, I gave my best to connect the question number one, essay number one, essay number two, and essay number three, and communicate a strong, powerful message by connecting the content. So I was very selective in the content. I was communicating in the three different questions of the essays. So that was the strategy or the method I used. I would add, too, is to not be too humble or modest. Of course, you want to be very honest, but you don't want to downplay your accomplishments. You really want to show that you're proud of your accomplishments. And I know sometimes people tend to sort of hold back on talking about how much they've done or their great leadership capacity, but this is really your chance to really talk about yourself and sell yourself to the reader. Okay, here's another question for me. For the internship component, is it possible to apply for an internship with a specific company? I have an interest in working with a particular U.S. company or organization. What should I do? It's not possible to apply directly to that organization technically, but what I would suggest that you do is, first of all, if you are open to doing an internship at another company or experience other than the one you have focused on, go ahead and apply for the internship. You can always make a note of this when you come in for your interview with the U.S. Embassy Representative that you're most interested in having an internship with XYZ Company, and they will note that. And if you are chosen for the internship, we will do everything we can to reach out to that company and see if we can make that work for you. So that's definitely a possibility. We're not going to make any promises, and you will need to be sort of open-minded to possibly participate in an internship in another organization, but we will do what we can. So, Halaoui, for you, what was the single most impactful experience of the fellowship? A very good question. The single most impactful experience I can think of is the whole fellowship itself. I mean, there is not even one... I can't rank the experiences. The internship was absolutely amazing. The Academy Institutes of Courseworks were excellent. The relationships and the connections we made with the other Africans, with our university hosts, with our internship hosts were really, let's say, powerful. And the summit was one experience by itself, so I would answer your question by saying the whole fellowship was the single most experience of my last summer. Okay, here's another question. How could the Mandela Washington Fellowship benefit a leader who is interested in human rights? I think no matter what you're interested in, let's say you're selected and you're interested in human rights, when we place you, we will consider that and put you at the university or the college that we think will best suit that sort of sub-interest. And then our academic directors at the 20 different universities and colleges in the United States really try to craft the coursework, the leadership training and all the networking and sort of site visits to the specific interests of the fellows. So if you're interested in human rights, and let's say you're going down to the University of Virginia, for example, they will do their best to include the kind of content that you're most interested in. And there's also a great opportunity for networking and sort of meeting American leaders in the human rights field. And that certainly is a theme in the U.S. that we do spend a lot of time on. And I think there are definitely leaders and experiences that you can share and things that you can learn. So as I said, it's really up to the Institute academic directors to kind of tailor the content to you. Hallawi, what impact do you think this program can have on the African continent? Another very interesting question. I personally think that this program has an impact of inter-connecting Africa. Right now, I feel that's not there yet. So through the networks and connections, we, the young Africans, are performing. That is to connect Africa in the long term. Another is it will show a glimpse of Africa's future, because we, the young, are the future of Africa. And basically, if you can read through the biographies of Mandela, Washington fellows, and read through their goals, their dreams, you basically understand the future of Africa. So it has an impact of showing a glimpse of Africa's future. Okay, here's another question for me. Can candidates from a French-speaking country apply without taking the TOEFL exam? So the answer is yes. You are not required to take the TOEFL exam for this program. I know it is difficult for some people coming from French-speaking countries and other languages. And I just encourage you to do your best. I know many of the fellows that I met this last summer who were from Senegal or Cote d'Ivoire, you know, many of them said, oh, my English is not very good. And actually, their English was wonderful, was lovely. And, you know, there is time, a bit of time, from the time that you apply to when you are selected and when you come to practice your English. So, again, don't be too modest about your language capabilities. You do not need to take the TOEFL exam. Your English will be assessed through your application. So do your best to write good English in your application. And it will be assessed during your in-person interview. No need to take the TOEFL. Here's another question. Is it possible to apply with an expired passport? You do not need to have a passport at the time of your application. If you are selected for the fellowship, you will have hopefully enough time to get your new passport. I believe many fellows did last year. They were able to get their documents in time. But you will need a passport, obviously, in time to travel. Halawi, what was the biggest challenge for you during the 2014 Mandela Washington Fellowship? I would have to say, I would have to say, because I was there for three and a half months, six weeks at the attack institutes, and eight weeks of work at home was fighting out. So, keeping in touch was, I could say, one of the biggest challenges. But to tell you honestly, this has been one of the best summer experiences that I've had. And there isn't that big of a challenge that stands out right now. Halawi, I thought you were going to say that the biggest challenge for you was the American food, because we always have participants complaining about our food in the U.S. I love it. No, no, I love it. Well, we love Ethiopian food, too. Okay, Halawi, here's another question. Is there a platform for us to share our fellowship experiences in our communities once we come back from the fellowship and to start giving back to our communities? Yes, there's a platform through the embassies. For example, our embassy in Addis Ababa has, in partnership with a local NGO, has designed a one-year activities and program and created a platform for us, the returning fellows, to give back to our communities. Through the embassies, through USAID, there are platforms designed for you to give back once you're back. Yeah, and it's very much a main goal of the program. I have another question. How long is the fellowship? When does it take place? So the fellowship is six weeks long. It will take place, and we don't have the exact dates, but it should be similar to the last year, mid-June to the end of July for the actual six-week institute at a U.S. campus. And then you will come to Washington, D.C. for a summit experience that is about three to four days. And then if you were chosen for an internship, a small group of people might be chosen for an internship, and those are, last year they were eight weeks long. Halawi, what are the academic institutes like? Are they academically challenging? Do you have time to experience American culture? Yes, to both questions. The academic institutes were positively challenging. So in the mornings, for example, in the institute I was in, in Minnesota, in the mornings we had academic sessions, a class or a professor would come to us and he would speak, but it was a very interactive session. So there were dialogues, debates among the fellows with the professors, so they were very interactive and challenging. In the afternoon we've had site visits to different organizations, and then when we go to those organizations there would be people waiting for us and then again explaining to us about the different systems and structures of that organization, and that also included different question and answer sessions and interactive discussions. During the weekends, there were times dedicated to experience the American culture through the sports, go to museums, and also in the evenings we were invited to different sessions where we had the opportunity to interact with other Americans in the community where we were staying at our universities. So I would say yes to all of your questions. Can I just ask you a follow-up question in terms of the academics? Did you have homework in the evenings? Yes, we did. We had assignments, we had group works, very interesting assignments we had that allowed us to work together in groups with the fellows, and also we had given the chance to present back to our professors. So that was a very interesting part of it. Okay, here's another question for you, Halaoui. As a fellow architecture colleague, how has the Mandela Washington Fellowship helped you professionally in your community? Like I said earlier, it had given me formal education and knowledge that never formally had before. That was one boost to my career. Another is the connections I developed, definitely I believe will have an impact in the future. I intend to keep them, to maintain them, to sustain them, and potentially collaborate. Okay, here's another question. This one is for me. Can I submit my supplemental documents in a language other than English? I would say that English is definitely preferred, especially if it's something like a recommendation letter, but I could see a possibility where if you had something that was like a transcript or maybe some article that you wrote or maybe even a recommendation letter if the person does not speak English that you might need to send it in your language. And I guess we will try to figure out a way to review that. But if you can send supplemental documents in English, that is the best route. And I would also suggest that you try to choose those kinds of documents that would be in English. Halaoui, what type of supplemental documents did you submit with your application that you thought were important? While thinking of what to select for my supplementary documents, I thought it would be best to complement the projects I had mentioned on my essays and on my resume. So I used one of the supplementary documents, on two of the supplementary documents out of the pictures of the projects that I explained or the initiatives that I explained on my resume and on essays to give them a bit of a visual of what I was talking about. And I also used one recommendation letter from my supervisor at work. Which I think is helpful because then we do know that you have the support from your supervisor to take part in the program, which of course is important for you in terms of getting here. Okay, I have another question. This one's about the internships. What is the criteria for selecting the 100 candidates who remain in the United States for internships? So if you are interested in applying for an internship, you will indicate that on your application, and you will answer a short essay question about why you want to take part in the internship. When you come in for your interview, if you're selected as a semi-finalist and you come in for your interview, the embassy representatives will be asking you a little bit about why you want an internship, what your goals are for the internship, for the U.S. experience, and what you would want to do with that experience when you come back to your home country. We're also looking for people who are self-starters, people who can sort of survive in a U.S. workplace. And I mean that in just that a U.S. workplace may feel different to you than your home workplace. And we want to make sure everyone is comfortable in sort of the U.S. work environment. So the embassy will get at these kinds of things in your interview and then send along a recommendation to the selection committee who will look at that when we're choosing our interns. We do try to have an intern from all of the countries that are participating in the fellowship. So where you are coming from is also a consideration. Okay, Halawi, we're about to wrap up, but I think we have one more question. I have to say it's been really great to see you live here all the way in Addis Ababa. Before we get to the last question, or do you have any parting words you'd like to share with the audience? Again, I would like to say to all of you 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship applicants, whatever you do, please finish, finish, and complete the application. That is what I would like to say at this point on. I would have to agree. I want to just once again underscore the importance of this exchange between African Americans and the President Obama's hope for a better future for Africa and the faith in the capacity of young African leaders throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, whether you're chosen for this program or not. We really do believe in you. I agree with Halawi. Please get your applications in. The deadline is coming up very, very soon, but I believe Halawi was one who waited till the very last minute to get his application in, and he was selected, so it can happen for you too. We are out of time, so thank you for all the great questions. We want to thank you so much for your wonderful and active participation, and we encourage you to visit yali.state.gov to apply, and again, remember the deadline is November 5th. Thank you, everyone, and thank you, Halawi. Thank you, Britta, for having me, and thank you all the audience for your wonderful questions. And good luck.