LOTT LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE: South Africa

June 18 - July 20, 2006

Lott Leadership Exhange Participants -- South Africa

Emerging from the international isolation of the apartheid era, South Africa has become a leading international actor, intent on promoting the economic, political and cultural regeneration of all social sectors. Although South Africa's economy rivals that of developed countries and leads the world in gold and platinum production, the country is in a process of transition as the government seeks to address the inequities of apartheid, stimulate growth, and create jobs. In many ways, the challenges of South Africa's history also parallel that of the Southeast of the United States, in particular the state of Mississippi. Home to key leaders in the manufacturing and communications industry, the Southeast produces outstanding, young, political and business leaders while still seeking to address the results of historical inequities in education and economic opportunities.

To promote reciprocal education and to provide a structure for continued dialogue between institutions in South Africa and in the Southeast of the U.S., The Trent Lott Leadership Institute offers the Lott Leadership Exchange program, allowing Mississippi and South Africa participants to learn from each other at the academic, personal and professional levels. To foster dialogue that will allow strong relationships between rising leaders of South Africa and Mississippi the Trent Lott Leadership Institute of the University of Mississippi has partnered with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Beginning on June 18, 2006 the Trent Lott Leadership Institute will host the Lott Leadership Exchange, bringing together 15-20 University of Mississippi students and 15-20 NMMU students who have completed one year of university work and have exhibited outstanding leadership qualities. Participants will be selected from the pool of applicants based on their personal statement, letter of reference, academic record, and demonstration of leadership on campus and in the community. Priority enrollment will be given to Lott scholars.

The program begins on June 18, 2006 in Oxford, Mississippi, and will end on July 21 with the return of U.S. students to Memphis from South Africa. The first two and a half weeks of the program are based in the Southeast of the United States, and the second two and a half weeks are based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A faculty and staff member from both the University of Mississippi and NMMU will accompany the groups for the full duration of the program. All program costs including tuition, housing, most meals, course materials, transportation including international airfare, health insurance, and entrance fees during program-sponsored site visits are provided by the Lott Leadership Exchange scholarship. Participants would need to be responsible for personal spending money and passport fees.

University of Mississippi participants will receive, upon successful completion of the program, 3 hours of pass/ fail credit on their U.M. transcript. Courses will be held on campus at the University of Mississippi and NMMU and in hotels during site visits. Specific course requirements will be discussed in spring of 2006 when the participant pool is finalized.

The U.S.-based program will begin with a tour of Oxford and classes on campus at the University of Mississippi. The program will then progress through a series of site visits to key businesses and organizations in nearby cities. Site visits include a tour of Atlanta's Carter Center and the Coca Cola World Headquarters, Memphis' Civil Rights Museum and Fed Ex Headquarters, a community-based racial reconciliation program in Rosedale, Mississippi, the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, and Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The South Africa -based program will take place in the city of Port Elizabeth and surrounding area. Classes on campus at NMMU are coupled with site visits to the Biko Foundation, South African Bottling Company, General Motors South Africa, the Mandela house and museum in Transkei, the Coega Development Agency and natural parks surrounding Port Elizabeth.

All participants will share the same housing, whether on campus in dormitories or in hotels during site visits. U.S. participants will be paired for housing with a student from South Africa based on a housing questionnaire issued in the spring of 2006.

Throughout the program students will be challenged to develop lasting personal and professional ties as well as to analyze the global and bilateral issues in South African-U.S. relations.