James Madison University awarded U.S. Department of State grant to host young leaders from southeast Asia

James Madison University will host the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellows Program (YSEALI AFP) focused on Society and Governance, funded by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Beginning in April 2025, JMU will host 50 young leaders from Southeast Asia in Harrisonburg for a five-week intensive academic exchange.

The YSEALI Academic Fellows Program is part of the wider Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, which is the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. The YSEALI Academic Fellows Program provides skills training to youth, aged 18-25, from eleven countries in Southeast Asia including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. The program is designed to strengthen leadership development across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), deepen engagement with young leaders on key regional and global challenges, and strengthen people-to-people ties between the U.S. and Southeast Asia.

The Fellowship brings approximately 500 exceptional young leaders per year to the United States for five-week academic Institutes at U.S. universities and colleges. Institutes focus on one of four themes: Civic Engagement; Sustainability and Environment; Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment; and Society and Governance. Institutes include an academic residency, leadership development, an educational study tour, and community service activities, and conclude in Washington, DC.

During the Fellowship, participants learn to design and implement projects to be completed upon returning home and may receive small grants to fund their implementation. Programs occur twice per year, in the fall and spring. To date, the Academic Fellows Program has nearly 2,000 alumni who are actively engaged across the region.

Some highlights of the JMU program will include:

• Academic Fellows will connect with JMU faculty, students, and local community to explore a wide range of topics related to U.S. society, governance, policymaking, public administration, accountability, and more.
• Fellows will give back to the community through service opportunities with local industries and organizations, focusing on areas such as refugee resettlement, religious groups, and health and human services.
• You can meet the Fellows at upcoming networking and community events – stay tuned for details.

The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellows Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana.

For questions about this grant contact JY Zhou, Executive Director of the Center for Global Engagement and David Kirkpatrick, Vice President and Chief of Staff.