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Three CMCians Selected as Fellows of the 4th Emerging Young Leaders Program YSEALI Learns MOOC Camp

When young CMCians step beyond the classroom and take their place among emerging leaders across Mindanao, they carry with them more than knowledge. They carry the confidence to lead, the courage to create, and the commitment to make a difference.

Central Mindanao Colleges proudly celebrates the selection of three CMC student leaders among the 26 fellows chosen from 172 applicants for the 4th Batch of the Emerging Young Leaders Program: YSEALI Learns MOOC Camp on the Fundamentals of Starting and Running a Business.

Representing Central Mindanao Colleges are Jade Wayne S. Chang, Senate President of the CMC Collegiate Students Supreme Council; Sofia Elizabeth P. Saladan, Internal Vice President of CMC PRISM; and Ma. Lydia I. Serag, Senator of the CMC Collegiate Students Supreme Council.

Their selection places the three CMCians alongside emerging young leaders from Davao and across Mindanao in a transformative learning experience focused on entrepreneurship, business development, leadership, and creating opportunities for young people in their communities.

The fellows are set to convene from August 28 to 29, 2026, at the 2nd Floor MPR, CCFC and American Corner Davao, Ateneo de Davao University, for the in-person component of the program.

Through expert-led online modules, interactive workshops, and in-person sessions, the fellows will explore business model development, business planning, market identification, and investment pitching. Guided by U.S. university faculty, practitioners, U.S. Government alumni, YSEALI leaders, and young business leaders, they will gain practical knowledge and skills to transform ideas into sustainable ventures and meaningful youth-centered initiatives.

More than a short-term learning experience, the Emerging Young Leaders Program is designed as a year-long leadership journey. Fellows will continue learning, collaborating, volunteering, and implementing community and entrepreneurship projects throughout the program, further strengthening their capacity to translate knowledge into action and leadership into impact.

The program will culminate in a business panel and elevator pitch session, where fellows will learn from experienced business leaders and present their proposed businesses or youth entrepreneurship projects. The session will provide an opportunity to demonstrate how their ideas can create opportunities and generate positive impact for young people and their communities.

For Central Mindanao Colleges, the selection of Chang, Saladan, and Serag reflects the institution’s continuing commitment to developing students who are academically prepared, socially responsible, and equipped to lead, innovate, collaborate, and serve beyond the campus.

Their participation also advances the aspirations of SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by connecting transformative learning with entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and meaningful partnerships that support sustainable development.

The program is organized by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, U.S. Mission to ASEAN, American Spaces Philippines, American Corner Davao at Ateneo de Davao University, Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Davao Hub, and United States Government Alumni Association Davao, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Davao.

As Chang, Saladan, and Serag step into a wider arena of leadership and entrepreneurship, they carry with them the spirit of a CMC education that transforms learning into leadership and ideas into impact. Wherever opportunities may take them, Central Mindanao Colleges will always be home, proudly celebrating CMCians who choose to lead, create, and serve.

Choose CMC, where potential is championed, leadership is strengthened, and students are prepared to create opportunities that matter.

By Erolle Linus T. Miranda, CMSCO

Visual design materials: EYLP

Publishers: News and Updates