Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young Civic Leadership Summit
CIEE’s annual summit for international changemakers is named for Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young in recognition of the couple’s lifelong dedication to public service, public diplomacy, and building bridges between peoples and nations.
The Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young Civic Leadership Summit is built around the idea that if one person can make a difference, then together we can change the world. Each year, around 50 Young Fellows, are selected to travel to Washington, D.C. – the capital of the U.S., and one of our most important and historical cities – to learn, among other things, methods for working across national and cultural barriers to overcome challenges to peace in our world.
The Civic Leadership Experience
Eligibility
Applicants must be participants of the summer 2024 CIEE Work & Travel USA program. CIEE cannot accept applications from anyone who has attended the Civic Leadership Summit in previous years.
Awards
CIEE will award fellowships to participants to attend the CIEE Civic Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., August 5-8. Fellowship grants include the cost of travel to and from Washington, D.C., accommodations, meals, and activities during the Summit.
Deadlines
Applications are open April 1 and close May 31.
About Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young
As a young man growing up in inner- city Philadelphia, Ambassador Johnny Young was sponsored by the YMCA and YWCA to attend an international exchange program at American University in Beirut. This became his inspiration for pursuing a career in public diplomacy.
During his nearly 40-year career in the Foreign Service, in which he achieved the rank of career ambassador in the Senior Foreign Service, among other roles, Ambassador Young served as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, the State of Bahrain, the Republic of Togo, and the Republic of Sierra Leone. After retiring from the Department of State, Ambassador Young continued his commitment to service, serving as executive director of Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Also during his retirement, Ambassador Young served on the board of several non-profits, including CIEE.
Angie Young was an equal partner in Johnny's successful diplomatic career, a cornerstone of the Young's personal and professional accomplishments for nearly six decades. With unmatched charm and grace, Angie hosted thousands of dinners, lunches, and events that planted seeds of mutual trust and respect in dozens of countries around the world, including in America, where she concluded her career as protocol officer at the White House.
Ambassador Young passed away in 2021. After his passing, CIEE changed the name of the annual Leadership Summit to honor the contributions of Ambassador and Mrs. Young.
Learn more about Ambassador Young's life and career in this oral history collected by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. Ambassador Young’s autobiography “From the Projects to the Palace: A Diplomat’s Unlikely Journey from the Bottom to the Top” is available on Amazon.