What is the Professional Fellows Program?
The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) for economic empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa is a two-way exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and designed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, and build lasting, sustainable partnerships between mid-level emerging leaders committed to strengthening their communities through social entrepreneurship and workforce development. Our program base is Washington D.C. with Fellowship placements in either Austin Texas, Detroit Michigan or Washington DC.
Next U.S. based program will include 30 MENA fellows from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. The Spring 2024 program will happen from May 7 to June 14, 2024.
Future PFP programs include US Fellows traveling to the MENA region between November 2023- September 2024. We will be accepting applications soon for a Spring 2025 cohort of 50 MENA fellows.
"I think there is a universal desire for peace, a desire for understanding, for community, for sustainability of our earth, and just the power of discovery, of learning about cultures that are different from ours."
Steve Coleman, Executive Director at Washington Parks & People and Professional Fellows Host during his interview with the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Podcast 22.33!
Alumni by the Numbers
Have participated in Legacy International's Professional Fellows Program
That our fellows call home: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait, Oman, Morocco and Tunisia
Since Legacy began implementing the Professional Fellows Program in 2010
About the Fellows
PFP Fellows are placed with host organizations in non-profit organizations, private sector businesses, academic institutions and government offices for an individually tailored professional development experience. The most important outcome is teh creation of strong networks of like minded people all working towards the same goals. All participants develop a deeper understanding of U.S. and MENA cultures thus expanding global citizenship and professional skills. American participants who have hosted foreign fellows travel overseas for participant-driven reciprocal programs.
