2026
Thashlin Govender
Head of Portfolio, Africa
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Thashlin Govender is Head of Portfolio, Africa at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, where for over 15 years he has led multi-country programs and delivered measurable outcomes for families and communities through partnerships with government, business, and civil society.
In higher education, Thashlin reframed persistently low graduation rates among high-potential students from low-income backgrounds not as a funding gap but as a systems failure. He redesigned university support by integrating case management, incentives, guidance counseling, academic tutoring, and wellness services alongside financial aid. This model was scaled across multiple universities, achieving disproportionately improved graduation and employment outcomes for first-generation students.The 2026 World Fellows
We are delighted to announce the 2026 Yale World Fellows. These 16 extraordinary individuals are leaders working in politics and public policy, global health, technology, environment, journalism, and the arts around the world. They include a Ukrainian journalist, a Chinese environmentalist, and a Kenyan orchestral conductor. “At a moment when norms are under strain and the international order is being rewritten, the World Fellows remind us that principled leadership still exists—and still matters,” said Emma Sky, director of Yale’s International Leadership Center, which houses the World Fellows program. “The world does not lack for problems or pessimists. What it needs are skilled, courageous practitioners willing to create new possibilities. The...Read More
