IslandHer Rising unveils college and career prep fellowship

IslandHer Rising, in partnerships with the CNMI Public School System, is launching the IslandHer College and Career Prep Fellowship this school year.

Founder and CEO Mia Sablan said the 501c3 nonprofit was formed in January this year and aims is to empower young and aspiring Pacific Islander women by providing educational and financial resources, create a pathway for careers, and enable young individuals to nurture their leadership potential. She said their vision is to see these women rise as confident leaders and transform communities through higher education and impactful leadership.

Sablan said the IslandHer College and Career Prep Fellowship is a developmental program for incoming 10th to 12th grade students that is launching this school year at Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School, and Kagman High School.

“The different components of the fellowship program consist of monthly coaching, which will be somewhat of a mentorship between our team and our IslandHer fellows. It’ll be personalized as we will be checking in on our fellows, making sure that we come up with a strategy to help them pursue their academic and career goals, whether that includes assisting them in securing scholarships before graduation, trying to determine what areas they may need to work on, or to become a more competitive applicant for an undergraduate institution, and more along those lines. It’s a very personalized approach that we are taking with our monthly coaching because it is one-on-one,” said Sablan.

Along with coaching and learning, the group will also incorporate a networking approach via its virtual Luncheon Series Panel.

“We are coordinating this with the high school staff, specifically for our fellows. We will be inviting accomplished Pacific Islanders from near and far, which I think is unique because we’re coordinating it on a virtual platform. During these sessions our fellows will be able to meet and ask questions and just learn and receive guidance from these accomplished Pacific Islanders.”

To be eligible for the IslandHer Colleges Career Prep Fellowship the participant must identify as a Pacific Islander female or identify as female who is currently a permanent resident of the CNMI or a Pacific island.

As an IslandHer fellow, participants will receive exclusive benefits and tailored programming designed to help excel these young women in undergraduate applications and prepare them for a successful career ahead.

IslandHer fellows are selected through an application process for their demonstrated commitment to the mission and their strong desire to shape the future. Sablan said that the program is also designed to foster accountability, helping students stand out as strong candidates during the college application process, and ensure they feel confident within the support of the IslandHer community as they transition from high school to college.

Having faced her own challenges when she first entered college, Sablan said she wanted be able to help other young women so that they would have a better and smoother academic experience.

“Growing up on Saipan, I never realized the lack of resources until I officially moved to the mainland and started to see how other students within the university have been exposed to different resources and opportunities that wasn’t available to us at the time. Opportunities that I wasn’t exposed to growing up,” she said.

Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Camacho applauded Sablan and the group for launching the IslandHer College and Career Prep Fellowship.

“I’m just happy to help in partner with her because I saw the value in what she’s trying to do and anything that brings value to our students is of no self-interest to anyone here other than our students and if that’s the case then we open our doors for those opportunities.”

Clarissa Tudela, a board member of IslandHer Rising, said the IslanderHer College and Career Prep Fellowship is an invaluable investment in their children’s future as it offers numerous opportunities to better prepare and equip them in navigating their college journey.

“As a mother of a current college sophomore, I’ve witnessed first hand the evolving nature of college preparation, especially for mainland universities.”

She added that from scholarship apps available as early as sophomore year, to navigating state college or university portals, to managing the complexities of the application process (which can be costly), the path to college can be overwhelming.

“My daughter had the advantage of supportive resources and even went on college tours the summer before applying, yet the experience was still daunting. The fellowship provides essential insights through mentorship, resources, and development opportunities that empower our fellows with the confidence and tools they need to succeed. It’s an incredible opportunity that no parent should hesitate to consider for their child, as it can make all the difference.”

Applications for the IslandHer Rising College and Career Prep Fellowship are currently open and will close on Sept. 9, for the 2024 application cycle. Those interested may apply at the IslandHer Rising website https://www.islandherrising.com/ccp-application. The College and Career Prep Fellowship begins in October and continues until May of the next year. Fellows remain enrolled from their acceptance into the program until their high school graduation.

Mia Sablan