YSEALI Reciprocal Exchange brings STEM x Resilience Camp to SU
A unique blend of science and resilience training took center stage at Silliman University (SU) as Asst. Prof. Joshua S. Soldivillo, a Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Fellow, successfully hosted the STEM x Resilience Camp from August 4 to 6, 2025 at the American Corner Dumaguete.
The camp was part of the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program (PFP) Reciprocal Exchange, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs through the American Councils for International Education. It featured Lorca Smetana, a U.S.-based resilience strategist whom Soldivillo had worked with during his professional fellowship in Montana in late 2024.
The three-day program gathered 45 students and educators from Silliman University Junior and Senior High Schools, Foundation Preparatory Academy, Metro Dumaguete College, and several Silliman University librarians. Participants engaged in interactive workshops and activities that explored the connection between STEM learning and resilience building.
Featured speaker Lorca Smetana pays a courtesy visit to SU President Dr. Betty Cernol McCann.
Workshops included “STEM Identity: Who Am I as a STEM Learner?”, the hands-on challenge “STEM in My World,” in which campers built prototypes to address community needs, as well as sessions on disaster-resilience innovations, youth-led STEM action planning, and STEM action project pitches.
A powerful takeaway for many participants was Smetana’s reminder: “We need to be well to keep going.” The message underscored the role of self-care and balance in sustaining learning, leadership, and innovation in STEM.
Soldivillo said the camp aimed to help young leaders in STEM “cultivate identity, resilience, and leadership skills that prepare them to become catalysts for sustainable and innovative solutions in their schools and communities.”
The Reciprocal Exchange ran from July 29 to August 9, 2025, with cultural immersion activities that brought Smetana to local heritage sites in Dumaguete City, Valencia, Bacong, and Apo Island.
Beyond the camp, Smetana met with key leaders at Silliman University, including President Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, Liaison Officer for Academic Affairs Dr. Jose Edwin C. Cubelo, IEMS Director Dr. Aileen P. Maypa, and University Librarian Dr. Rosalina G. Dinoy. She also paid courtesy visits to the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental and appeared on SU’s TV magazine show #Silliman and the podcast STEMCast of Project STEAMify, further amplifying the exchange’s impact.
Looking ahead, Soldivillo and Smetana plan to explore additional tools and partnerships to integrate STEM and resilience into afterschool programs and other initiatives.
