UH Manoa College of Education professor selected for prestigious American Issues Forum Fellowship

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Helen Au, (808) 956-4949
College of Education
Posted: Feb 22, 2006

HONOLULU —Yuri Wellington, assistant professor of Multicultural Education and English Language Arts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education, has been selected for an esteemed position as a Fellow of the 2006 American Issues Forum.

The American Issues Forum (AIF) is an initiative of Leadership America, a nonprofit leadership organization that recognizes and develops leadership skills in women worldwide. Selection as a fellow of the AIF is highly competitive.

The program selects a diverse group of 100 women annually, who participate in a yearlong agenda in which they engage in a wide range of activities, such as lectures and site visits, to raise awareness of critical national and international issues. Women gain global references and networking opportunities with high-profile leaders, and return with leadership skills to further their careers and community outreach.

The 2006 American Issues Forum will commence in April and conclude in September, with sessions in Washington D.C., Boston, and Houston. Wellington will attend as a Fellow with hopes to hone networking skills and gain contacts through which issues in public education can be brought to light.

"Many issues in education are dealt with "in isolation" due to lack of awareness and involvement," said Wellington. "Being part of AIF is an opportunity for women such as myself to connect and work towards proactive solutions in the educational arena."

Yuri Wellington represents one of the few selected Fellows of the AIF from Hawaiʻi—a noteworthy achievement, as she has faced considerable challenges in her career. Despite financial and personal hardships, she successfully completed her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Arizona at Tucson. She identifies with the difficulties many people are forced to contend with: "Even the mythic ʻmiddle class‘ are only one paycheck, one illness, one catastrophe away from homelessness," she states. Wellington recognizes the difficulties of many people in the lower socio-economic class, particularly in Hawaiʻi, and lists the conditions of education, health care, and homelessness in the United States as critical issues in need of capable leadership.

For more information on the 2006 American Issues Forum and Leadership America, visit their website at: http://www.leadershipamerica.com.