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By Summer Kennard and Leilani Reklai
Koror, Palau (July 25, 2024) – Palau National Scholarship Board (PNSB) interns presented their summer internship experiences at a forum held at the Palau Community College Assembly Hall yesterday.
The event, attended by President Surangel Whipps and Senator Andrew Tabelual, provided a platform for 29 Palauan university students to showcase the knowledge and skills they acquired during their eight-week internships with local government agencies and organizations.
Practical learning promotes growth
O’Keef R. Kokichi, a senior at Eastern Oregon University majoring in information technology management, emphasized the practical application of his classroom learning during his internship. “The internship was a great way for me to get some hands-on experience with what I learned,” Kokichi said. “I learned the basics of networking, but as a student finishing up my bachelor’s degree, I was able to go deeper.”
Sina J. Dilyolt Cooper, a senior at the University of Guam majoring in exercise science and health promotion, agrees with Kokichi. “In college, I couldn’t remember a lot of what I learned because it was so condensed,” Cooper said. “Here, I’m able to learn more about health, especially public health.”
Return to China
Several interns, like Kokichi, expressed a desire to contribute to Palau’s development, which was their motivation for applying for the PNSB scholarship program. “School is closed right now, and we live in a rural area,” Kokichi explained. “So why not return home and take advantage of the opportunities we have and do this here?”
Building bridges and communities
The forum also highlighted the role PNSB interns play in fostering connections between Palau and the broader Pacific Islander community. Kokichi, who serves as a summer bridge mentor at EOU, spoke about the role he plays in supporting incoming Palauan students. “We’re building a sense of community and then raising their awareness of where we’re coming from,” he said.
PNSB Scholarship
The PNSB Scholarship is a competitive program for graduating, currently graduating, or recent Palauan university students. The program provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in their chosen field while contributing to the development of Palau. Internship opportunities are offered twice a year, during the summer and spring semesters. The application deadline for the summer internship program is April 1 and the application deadline for the spring program is November 1. More information and application forms can be found on the PNSB website: http://www.pnsb.org/applications/.
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