UP Visayas graduate Katrina Bayog gets selected to participate in the YSEALI Winter Academic Fellowship in the US. Ms. Bayog will participate as a fellow at the University of Connecticut on Economic Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. The University of Connecticut cited her strong merits, proven leadership track and potential positive impact in her communities when she was chosen from a pool of promising applicants.
The winsome Ilongga previously founded Catalyst, an organization that aims to empower its members, create change and provide innovative solutions in addressing important social issues. Ms. Bayog who is also a graphic designer enumerates : Poverty, Education, Gender Equality, Media and Youth Empowerment as the important issues that she decided to focus on.
YSEALI Fellowship Program
Ms. Bayog was selected for the YSEALI Fellowship Program that was launched by US President Obama in 2013 to enhance the United States’ relations with future leaders of Southeast Asia and foster an ASEAN community.
YSEALI offers education on regional issues, professional skills-building, and opportunities to put those skills into action through educational exchanges to the United States, professional development workshops in the region, online networking, and project seed money. YSEALI activities focus on four themes: economic development, environmental protection, education and civic engagement.
The YSEALI Academic Fellowship Institute is an intensive academic program whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders and recently graduated leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills.
The Program that Ms. Bayog will participate in will be the YSEALI Academic Fellowship on Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. This program will provide Fellows with an overview of entrepreneurial approaches that are employed to address social issues. The Institute will review the development, history, challenges, and successes of social enterprises and community leaders in the United States and globally. Topics may include, but are not limited to, trade, investment, financial literacy, banking, microfinance, organizational development and management, grant writing, innovation, emerging markets and risk analysis, strategic business planning, corporate social responsibility, and women and minorities in entrepreneurship.
Students will also have the opportunity to leave the classroom to meet with community leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of nonprofit organizations. The academic residency will be complemented by an educational study tour where Fellows will meet with local, state, private, and nonprofit organizations working in the field. The Institute will then conclude with a 3-day program in Washington, DC. The winter hosts will be Arizona State University (from February 22 – March 25) and the University of Connecticut (from March 5 – April 8).
Ms. Bayog cites that this program will validate what she has been saying to those that she has encountered in her Catalyst organization. That in order to inspire others, one must first inspire oneself.
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