A GRADUATING student of the Benguet State University was chosen as one of the participants of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellowship on Environmental Issues.

Blessie Atonen, a BS Environmental major, was among the 42 selected participants who will attend the fellowship program in Montana, United States from August 24 to September 28, 2022.

The YSEALI Academic Fellowship is an intensive short-term program that provides young leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States and of a particular theme, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills.

Under the fellowship on Environmental Issues, participants will explore the role that environmental policy has played in the economic and political development of the United States.

The Fellowship will also use experiential learning techniques to expose participants to current themes in the field, including climate change, sustainable development/sustainable agricultural practices, food security, ecotourism, renewable energy generation, and water management and treatment.

Fellows will explore the issues from numerous angles: local grassroots activism and civic initiatives, impacts on marginalized communities, private sector approaches, global multilateral efforts and federal government policies and regulations.