MSU-IIT Alumni Take Center Stage in YSEALI
Four MSU-IIT alumni have been selected for the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Fellowship Program, signaling a notable milestone for the university and the Philippines. The group represents MSU-IIT in a flagship effort to sharpen leadership capabilities among young Southeast Asians and to broaden regional networks that foster collaboration across borders and sectors.
Academic Fellows: Building the Next Wave of Innovators
Three MSU-IIT graduates are taking part in the YSEALI Academic Fellows Program, which invites undergraduates and recent graduates aged 18 to 25 to a five-week academic institute in the United States. The program blends academic sessions, leadership training, educational trips, and community engagement activities, culminating in events in Washington, D.C.
- Jaylou L. Havana, B.S. Economics, Class of 2025, focused on Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Kansas. Havana joins peers from across the region to explore how entrepreneurial ecosystems can drive inclusive growth and sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
- Jayson Bunyao Abad, B.A. Sociology, Class of 2024, concentrating on Civic Engagement at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Abad is examining how civic participation, youth-led initiatives, and community organizing can strengthen democratic processes in his home country and neighboring states.
- Anthony Adrian Cale, B.S. Environmental Engineering, Class of 2023, focusing on Natural Resources at the East-West Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa. His work centers on sustainable resource management, climate resilience, and collaborative approaches to environmental challenges facing Southeast Asia.
For these Academic Fellows, the five-week immersion provides a platform to study core topics, engage with peers and mentors, and return with actionable ideas to enrich MSU-IIT’s academic environment and regional collaborations.
Professional Fellows Spotlight: Leadership in Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment
Separately, Constantino Ajero Brasileño Jr. — the TBI Coordinator of IDEYA: Center of Innovation and Technopreneurship — joined the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program under the theme of Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment. He is currently stationed at Alabama A&M University, where he participates in a five-week fellowship designed for emerging leaders aged 25 to 35. The program features a four-week professional placement with relevant private or public sector organizations, enabling practical experience, enhanced leadership skills, and expanded professional networks across the region.
Impact, Reflections, and the Road Ahead
Participants have expressed gratitude for the chance to learn and share. Abad’s remarks, shared in a Facebook exchange with Chancellor Alizedney Ditucalan, highlighted meaningful reflections on civic engagement and suggested ongoing collaboration between academe and civil society organizations. The envisioned outcomes include strengthened partnerships that could benefit the CASS community and MSU-IIT’s broader mission to serve as a catalyst for regional collaboration.
The university governance team welcomed the news, noting that hosting and supporting delegates on the world stage underscores MSU-IIT’s commitment to leadership development and international engagement. The YSEALI program offers a structured bridge between local impact and global perspectives, enabling alumni to translate experience into tangible benefits for their campuses, communities, and professions.
What This Means for MSU-IIT and the Philippines
As self-starters in economics, sociology, environmental engineering, and entrepreneurship, these alumni embody a cross-disciplinary model for leadership. Their experiences in the United States and on placement sites across the region equip them with insights into policy, civic processes, innovation ecosystems, and resource stewardship. For MSU-IIT, the fellowship is more than an honor; it’s a catalyst for stronger networks, cooperative research, and collaborative community outreach that can yield long-term benefits for students, faculty, and local stakeholders.
Conclusion: A Shared Commitment to Southeast Asian Progress
The YSEALI experience reflects a shared commitment among MSU-IIT alumni to harness knowledge, leadership, and networks for regional progress. As these young leaders return with new ideas and partnerships, MSU-IIT’s leadership development programs stand to gain fresh momentum and broader regional visibility, reinforcing the Philippines’ role in Southeast Asia’s evolving leadership landscape.
