Albrecht Fellowship for High School Students

The program kickstarts with a workshop on cross-cultural competency as one of the foundational elements of global citizenship. The ability to listen without judging and the awareness of our own unconscious biases when it comes to cultural and linguistic differences are essential tools of effective global leadership. Furthermore, the nuances of sub-culture even within the same country play a role in how each one of us identifies with and represents our assumed similarities. Globalization and diversity have made the adoption of cross-cultural communication strategies a necessary tool for molding (sub)culturally appropriate behaviors.

Diplomacy is often thought of in the context of government-to-government international relations with the purpose of developing economic, political and cultural ties between two nations. Diplomacy is practiced by both career diplomats and career civil servants and can take on any number of sub-categories. Today’s session will focus on three main types: public diplomacy, energy diplomacy, global health diplomacy, and consular services. Diplomacy is also an art – the ability to deal with people and situations in a tactful and respectful manner. To do that successfully, students need to be able to think of their feet, articulate their needs clearly, practice empathy, and possess acumen for collective decision-making. These skills will be practiced through an engaging and dynamic workshop in improvisations delivered by Highwire Improv.

In 2018, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported 25.9 million refugees globally, marking an all-time high. Today, that number is over 100 million. Overall the number of displaced persons has almost doubled in the last ten years alone, mostly due to internal conflicts in countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela, Somalia, etc. Gang violence and high crime are pushing people from Central America to seek safety and a better life in the United States. In this session, you will learn about global migration trends and examine the support and services offered to refugee and immigrant communities to ease their integration into non-native societies and find a new sense of belonging.

The world population surpassed 8 billion people in November 2023. Access to abundant synthetic inputs, advances in plant/protein genetics, agronomy, and other technologies have allowed humans to grow crops on marginal land, supporting a population well beyond the carrying capacity of the planet. In Africa alone, agricultural output has increased ~5X since 1950. The population has increased ~6X at the same time, food insecurity exists there. Meteorologists say we have entered a statistical phase jump. The old base lines of once in 500-year weather events are no longer a useful gauge of future weather events. They are now trying to determine where the new baseline is.

Understanding the scope and urgency of what your near-earth horizon looks like is critical for our next generations of leaders. This presentation will review some agricultural existential crisis that you will need to prepare and respond to in your role as a leader. We will provide case studies on how innovators in agriculture, water, and food are planning 3+ generations ahead for a world as it will be, not as it is.

Our basic needs for survival are air, water, food, and shelter. We will touch on all these areas with a particular focus on what a rising leader like you can do in your communities.

Disruptive technologies have been used for decades to drive change and do good around the world. They break barriers in accessibility to resources and services, enable the process of globalization through communications, ensure improved farming and water purification practices, and much more! Today, technology drives all aspects of life, and while humans are still not existentially threatened by technology, understanding its influence and how to harness its potential is essential to our success. While artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have been around for a while, generative AI has captured the attention of almost everyone in recent months – in the context of opportunity, but also a threat.

This session will review a couple of technological solutions to existing global problems and will spark a conversation about their application, regulation, and utilization.

There is a subtle difference between misinformation and disinformation. Both of them hamper the ability of local institutions to pass or implement policy, prevent international organizations from gaining the support they need by local communities in order to be effective on the ground, and rob societies of the truth about a myriad of subjects. Recognizing and combating misinformation will only become more challenging with the advent of new technologies. Developing those detective skills and being able to channel the conversation in the direction of accuracy will be a critical skill for every youth

This session will present concepts around misinformation and disinformation as well as best practices for strengthening self-efficacy and advocacy skills.

The significance of volunteerism for rebuilding and strengthening communities cannot be understated. The help of volunteers is often what enables many nonprofits and community-serving organizations to continue delivering their services. At the personal level, volunteering offers a deeper sense of purpose, belonging, and significance.

At this session, you will engage in hands-on activities to give back to the local community alongside your Albrecht Fellow peers and other volunteers.

This session will be a celebration of the completion of the program by reflecting on the fellows’ personal and professional growth in the last few months. Be prepared to be inspired yet again and make a promise to yourself and your peers to carry the Albrecht Fellow name with pride wherever your life takes you!