A South Korean army major, a Russian opposition party politician, and an Iraqi historian who bore witness to ISIS atrocities in Mosul are among the 16 men and women who have been selected as 2018 World Fellows.

This cohort brings the total number of World Fellows since the program’s start in 2002 to 327 Fellows, representing 90 countries. This year marks the 17th cohort of World Fellows.

“I am honored to announce the 2018 World Fellows,” said Emma Sky, director of the Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellows Program. “The talent, bravery, and resilience of these individuals is quite extraordinary. They are amazing role models for Yale students.”

The World Fellows program is Yale University’s signature global leadership development initiative and a core element of Yale’s ongoing commitment to internationalization. Each year, the University invites a group of exemplary mid-career professionals from a wide range of fields and countries for an intensive four-month period of academic enrichment and leadership training.

“I am thrilled to welcome the seventeenth class of World Fellows to campus,” said Yale President Peter Salovey. “These remarkable leaders and innovators bring immense expertise and insights to our university. While they are on campus, they contribute to our academic excellence through teaching, scholarship, and research, and they improve our community by participating in public service. Although they are on campus for four months, they remain engaged with Yale faculty, staff, and students long after the fellowship ends. They continue to be ambassadors for Yale and share our mission to improve the world today and for future generations.”

The mission of World Fellows is to cultivate and empower a network of globally engaged leaders committed to making the world a better place. The program is part of the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, which prepares Yale students for global leadership and service through its master’s program in global affairs, master of advanced study in global affairs and undergraduate major in global affairs.