ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, YALE YOUNG AFRICAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM (YYAS)

Yale University, Office of International Affairs

Position Profile

INTRODUCTION

The Yale Young African Scholars Program (YYAS, https://africanscholars.yale.edu/) is the

premier academic enrichment and leadership development program of its kind for African high
school students planning to pursue university education and who wish to make a meaningful
impact on the continent. YYAS is administered by the Yale Young Global Scholars Program
(https://globalscholars.yale.edu/) in collaboration with the Yale Africa Initiative
(https://africa.yale.edu/) and the HigherLife Foundation
(https://www.higherlifefoundation.com/), its primary funder and knowledge partner.

For 2018-2019, YYAS will offer three sessions in Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, enrolling at
least 300 high school students from across Africa through a highly competitive application
process. Senior Yale faculty members lecture in the program while dedicated undergraduate,
graduate, and professional school student instructors lead small-group discussions and supervise
project work. YYAS participants receive post-program mentorship and guidance throughout the
college application process, both virtually and in-person through local access organizations.

What follows is additional background on YYAS’s history, structure, content, and options for
future expansion in the coming years.
Yale Young African Scholars Program
 Overview

• YYAS: a unique collaboration within Yale University

• Transformational partnership with Higher Life Foundation (HLF)
• YYAS 2016 - 2018: Rwanda, Ghana, Zimbabwe
• Building capacity across Africa
• Yale as a convening power
• Reflections from YYAS Student Team
• 2019 and beyond
• A bit about Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)
 YYAS: A Unique Collaboration within Yale

• African students at Yale proposed program in 2014

• Early support for program came from several Yale entities:

• Yale Young Global Scholars program

• Macmillan Center for International and Area Studies
• Yale Undergraduate Admissions

• Guidance and support from Office of International Affairs

and Yale Africa Initiative

• 2014 pilot program held in Ghana and Ethiopia, 2015

program held in Rwanda and Zimbabwe
• Zimbabwean philanthropists
committed to empowering
African youth through
education

• Foundation has supported

over 100,000 children in
Zimbabwe, Southern Africa
and abroad, from primary
through tertiary education

• 3-yr Gift for YYAS 2016 – 2018

Partnership with the Higher Life Foundation

• YYAS admitted 300 students each year, from over 30 countries and 250+
high schools, between 2016 - 2018
• YYAS and local partner organizations collaborate to provide online and
in-person post-program mentorship to alumni
• Local partners build capacity for application support among educators
and access organizations through annual conferences
• YYAS prioritizes admitting and supporting high-achieving, low-income
(HALI) students
• YYAS convenes and fosters a network for achieving meaningful
impactful across Africa among its young leaders
Introduction to a Liberal Arts Curriculum
Interactive Learning
University Guidance Workshops
 A Typical Day at YYAS

7:30 – 8:30 am Breakfast

8:30 am – 10:00 am Lecture
10:00 am – 10:45 am Discussion Sections
10:45 am –12 pm SAT prep
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Seminars
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Uni Guidance Lecture
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Enrichment Activity
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Free time
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Workshop/Family Time
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm Free time
11.30 pm Lights out
 Building capacity across Africa:
Post-program Mentorship

Each student receives personal

mentorship from current or
recently graduated university
students

• Host country students

supported through local
partner organizations

• Online mentorship for non-

host country students,
spanning 35 African countries
 Building capacity across Africa:
Local Partner organizations
• Three partner orgs 2016 – 2018, more to be added in 2019 - 2020

• Organize Educators’ Conferences in their home cities

• Design mentorship program for students based in host countries

• Provide valued “on the ground” perspective and feedback

Building capacity across Africa:
Educators’ Conferences

30+ educators from each

host country and region
convene for two-day events
on how best to support
students applying abroad for
admission and financial aid.

Sessions include expert

advice from YYAS plus
admissions officers and
context specific discussions.
 Yale as a Convener:
University Representatives 2016-18
HALI Indaba

YYAS is a member of
the HALI Access
Network, an
association of
organizations
supporting HALI African
students who apply to
university abroad

In 2018-19 YYAS is
Secretariat.
 2016 Participants 2017 Participants 2018 Participants
Total 292 300 303
% Girls 57% 53% 55%
Total HALI ~ 35% 53% 60%
No. of Countries 23 33 35
No. of Schools 161 216 236
Acceptance Rate 29.40% 15.50% 15.64%

YYAS 2016 - 2018

By the numbers
 YYAS 2019 and onward

• Extended funding from HLF

• Kenya: new host country in 2019

• Additional mentorship partners

• Continued support of HALI

Access Network, annual Indaba

• Expanded support for YYAS

Alumni Network
 Extending the partnership with HLF
• March 2018 visit by Yale President Dr. Peter Salovey to Ghana and Kenya
• Strive Masiyiwa joined Pres. Salovey in Ghana to co-announce renewed
partnership for five additional years of funding for YYAS
• Expansion to include more participants, more mentorship partners, and
significantly more financial support for students (test fee registration, etc.)
More about YYGS
 YYGS Milestones:
Exponential Growth in Participants, Content & Locations

2001-2011: Ivy Scholars run by International Security Studies

• ~60 participants per year focused on grand strategy & debate

2012: Rebranded as YYGS & administered by Office of International Affairs

• ~150 participants across sessions focused on grand strategy & US politics

2013: Grand Strategy (GS) / Politics, Law & Economics (PLE)

• ~300 participants across 2 sessions

2014: New Science, Policy & Innovation session (SPI); Yale Young African
Scholars (YYAS) pilot
• ~600 YYGS + 100 YYAS participants

2016: 3 new STEM sessions; YYAS expansion; YYGS-Beijing & YYGS-

Singapore pilots
• ~1400 YYGS + 300 YYAS + 100 Beijing + 200 Singapore participants
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 YYAS Milestones:
Exponential Growth in Participants, Content & Locations

2014 & 2015: Yale African students pilot YYAS with support from
MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies
• ~100 participants across two locations in 2014 (Ghana & Ethiopia) and in 2015 (Rwanda
& Zimbabwe)

2016: Transformational Masiyiwa gift sponsors YYAS for 2016-2018

• ~ 300 participants each year, for 3 years, at sessions in Ghana, Rwanda & Zimbabwe
• University guidance training for African secondary school teachers

2018: Merged programming & gift renewal discussions

• ~300 participants in two sessions (Ghana & Rwanda)
• Expanded participation by university representatives
• Pursuing five-year gift renewal options with Higherlife Foundation

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 Where We Are Today

YYGS in New Haven YYGS in Beijing YYAS

6 1 3
sessions in session in China at sessions in Ghana,
New Haven Yale Center Beijing Rwanda & Zimbabwe

~1,400 ~100 ~300

participants participants participants

15 Leadership staff
~20 Summer residential life staff
~55 Faculty lecturers
~120 Undergraduate and graduate student instructional staff
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 Organization & Structure: 2018-2019

Executive Director
Ted Wittenstein

Director
Vacant (Amy Shah Acting)

Assoc. Dir. Assoc. Dir. Assoc. Dir. Academic YYAS Assoc. Director
Asst. Dir. External Affairs
Admissions Affairs (Vacant)
Administration Amy Shah
Zeva Levine Michelle Hutchings
Tina Saller

• Program • Asst. Dir. • Asia Program

• Communications • African Scholars
Administrator Technology Manager (Tim Liu)
Officer (Melissa Fellow (Dagan
(Bailey (Chris • STEM Program
Dwelley) Rossini)
Steffen) Bailey) Manager (Vacant) • African Scholars
• Social Science Fellow (Roy
Program Manager Randen)
(Anneliese Abney)
• Humanities Program
Manager (John
Whalen)
• Global Scholars
Fellow (Shams Islam)
 YYGS Org Chart: Who We Serve

Executive Director
Ted Wittenstein

Director
Vacant (Amy Shah Acting)

Assoc. Dir. Assoc. Dir. Assoc. Dir. Academic YYAS Assoc. Director
Asst. Dir. External Affairs
Admissions Affairs Vacant
Administration Amy Shah
Zeva Levine Michelle Hutchings
Tina Saller

• Program • Asst. Dir. • Asia Program

• Communications • African Scholars
Administrator Technology Manager (Tim Liu)
Officer (Melissa Fellow (Dagan
(Bailey (Chris • STEM Program
Dwelley) Rossini)
Steffen) Bailey) Manager (Vacant) • African Scholars
• Social Science Fellow (Roy
Program Manager Randen)
(Anneliese Abney)
Major budget 100 app. readers • Humanities Program
250+ hires 7000+ apps. Manager (John
Steep growth 6,500 alumni Whalen)
targets 100k+ network • Global Scholars 300 participants
Major donor 1,100 alumni
Fellow (Shams Islam)
targets 20 app. readers
15 instructors
Major new gift pending
2,040 participants
150 instructors
30 res. life staff
 A Look to the Future
Expand YYGS on campus from 1,450 participants in 2018 to ~3,000 participants in 2020
• Retain social science & STEM sessions
• Expand to humanities (2019) & other sessions (2020)
• Develop & implement detailed budget & staffing plan

Increase number of high-quality, full-pay applicants to YYGS

• Expand promotion & outreach
• Identify target schools based on market research, in consultation with Undergraduate
Admissions

Further establish the model for YYGS Asia sessions

• Evaluate Yale Center Beijing session from summer 2018
• Consider expansion opportunities based on participant demand & donor interest in
China & elsewhere

Ensure the continuation & possible growth of YYAS

• Renew Masiyiwa / Higherlife Foundation gift to YYAS and identify additional partners
• Exceed 1,000 YYAS alumni from ~35 African nations & ~250 secondary schools

24
YYAS videos
DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES & SKILLS

The Associate Director serves as the chief operating officer of YYAS, a fast-growing program
that is a central component of the Yale Africa Initiative. The Associate Director will oversee all
facets of the program, to include: managing a team of two full-time staff and fifteen summer
instructors; marketing, admissions, and curriculum design; overseeing a budget of approximately
$1 million; partner and donor relations; and administering post-program online mentorship for
African high school students from over 30 countries.

Required Experience and Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field and five years of experience or an equivalent
combination of education and related experience.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability with developing and managing programs or education
organizations geared towards high-achieving, low-income young adults, especially
with respect to African or other international students.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to interact with a range of
individuals including high school and university-age students, faculty members,
foundation partners, and staff on a wide variety of academic and administrative
issues.
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing work demands, manage teams, and
maintain effective partnerships in a high-pressure environment. Excellent
organization, accuracy, attention to detail, oral and written communication skills, and
financial acumen.
• Strong familiarity with the university admissions and financial aid process, especially
with respect to African or other international students.
• Experience with international travel and willingness to spend at least one month in
Africa to administer the YYAS program each year, from late July to late August.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Skills:

• Advanced degree in a field relevant to the academic content of YYAS.
• Experience managing financial and administrative operations in a university setting.
• Fluency in French, Arabic, or another major language spoken on the African
continent.
• Familiarity with Slate or other customer relationship management (CRM) software
that is used to manage large online admissions processes.

TO APPLY: Visit https://bit.ly/2AIA7yt or http://www.yale.edu/jobs [SEARCH

I.D.#52519BR]