SU Psychology student completes YSEALI academic fellowship in the U.S.
Kylle Christiann Saga, a fourth-year Psychology student at Silliman University, completed an intensive, short-term academic exchange program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Arizona State University as part of the Spring 2022 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship.
Saga participated in an in-person capstone project under the Civic Engagement Program of the YSEALI Academic Fellowship from February 25 to March 22, 2023, hosted by the said universities in the United States (US).
He was one of the 42 young leaders in Southeast Asia selected by the US Embassy in the Philippines to participate in the Spring 2022 YSEALI Academic Fellowship.
“I am beyond grateful for such an opportunity, an opportunity to not only fly and get a taste of what Civic Engagement is like in the United States but to also share my Civic Engagement journey on a global platform, in which I am proud to say that I was able to gather a big chunk of my experiences as a student leader in Silliman University,” said Saga.
Under the Civic Engagement Program, Saga said the YSEALI Academic Fellows were given the opportunity to meet and engage with public servants and government officials in the US and learn more about the country’s government system, public policies, and legislations; learn about American History, culture, and indigenous groups; engage with NGOs, Civic Leaders, and their community projects in the United States; and enhance and develop their leadership skills.
Launched in 2013, the YSEALI is the US government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia (SEA)
The YSEALI Academic Fellowship aims to provide leaders aged 18-25 years old in SEA with a deeper understanding of the US while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills through an academic program. The fellowship focuses on three themes: Civic Engagement, Environmental Issues, and Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.
