Drake welcomes Mandela Fellows
Last weekend, Drake welcomed 25 young African professionals who will spend the next five weeks in Des Moines through a program called the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. The fellows, all of whom are between the ages of 25 and 35, will immerse themselves in business and entrepreneurship topics through a combination of academic study, cultural activities, professional networking opportunities, and visits to local corporate and community partners during their stay in Des Moines, June 17 to July 31.

“These are truly exceptional individuals—future African heads of state,” said Annique Kiel, interim executive director of global engagement and international programs at Drake University. “We look forward to facilitating valuable personal and professional connections that will strengthen internationalization efforts at Drake and in central Iowa.”

To learn more about the program and the fellows, visit www.drake.edu/yali or the Drake Newsroom. You can also follow their journey on social media with the hashtag #YALIatDrake

Executive director for The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement named
President Martin announced last week that Joseph Jones, a Drake alumnus and former legislative assistant to retired U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, has been hired as executive director of The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement.

Jones will serve as the Institute’s first full-time executive director beginning Aug. 1. He worked as legislative assistant for Harkin’s office in Washington, D.C., from 2010 to 2013, and currently serves as senior vice president for government relations and public policy at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

To learn more about Joseph, visit the Drake Newsroom.