Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions has hosted a Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship on Civic Engagement each year since 2016. The YSEALI Academic Fellowship is a U.S. Department of State international exchange program 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 United States and Southeast Asia.

The Civic Engagement Institute examines the development of civic engagement in the United States and explores topics such as citizenship, community building, economic development, grassroots activism, political leadership, volunteerism, and the use of information and communications technology in advancing civic causes. The academic residency includes community service activities, leadership development sessions, site visits, and opportunities for interaction with American peers and also encourages participants to develop innovative and practical plans to become engaged citizens in their own communities.

Hear stories from the 2018 YSEALI Fellows.

Please note: In 2016-2018, the U.S. Department of State awarded a grant to the ASU Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and Watts College to jointly host two YSEALI Academic Fellowships. The Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Institute was housed under the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.