Empowering Dreams: Insular Foundation's Career Readiness Summit Prepares Scholars for Success

Insular Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Insular Life (InLife), recently held a Career Readiness Summit aimed at preparing its scholars for the challenges of the modern professional landscape. The summit was attended by third- and fourth-year Gold Eagle scholars from partner state colleges and universities, including the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Aurora State College of Technology, Benguet State University, Bohol Island State University, Central Mindanao University, and Davao Oriental State University. This initiative underscores the Foundation’s commitment to nurturing future professionals through holistic support and guidance.

Rozana Pecson, InLife’s Chief Human Resources Officer, imparted valuable insights during the event, emphasizing key principles to help scholars excel in their careers. “Find your passion and build your career on it. Leverage your strengths. Lead change. Bounce back in times of adversities,” Pecson advised, underscoring the importance of resilience and adaptability in today’s dynamic job market. She also encouraged the scholars to stay grounded in their values, prioritize their well-being, and foster meaningful connections that could enrich both their personal and professional lives.

The summit also featured a compelling keynote address by Anthony Pangilinan, Chairman of The Master’s Lighthouse Foundation. Pangilinan shared his perspective on achieving success, emphasizing three critical steps: having a vision, embracing challenges, and taking decisive action. Drawing on the metaphor of a stretched rubber band, he explained that tension is often the driving force behind accomplishments. “Kung walang tensyon sa buhay, walang accomplishment of vision. Hindi ka babangon sa umaga. You stretch a rubber band vertically – the lower part of the rubber band is your reality, and the upper portion of the rubber band is your vision – mga pangarap mo sa buhay,” Pangilinan shared, inspiring the scholars to embrace life’s challenges as a means of growth.

Insular Foundation’s Executive Director Ana Maria Soriano reiterated the Foundation’s dedication to supporting young Filipinos, particularly those from underserved communities, through its flagship Gold Eagle College Scholarship Program. “We take immense pride in witnessing our scholars excel academically, graduate, and make significant contributions in their chosen fields. Your drive, ambition, and remarkable determination to overcome challenges and strive for a better future for yourself and your family inspire us to continue the Insular Foundation’s Gold Eagle College Scholarship Program. As long as there are young Filipinos like you, we will remain dedicated to this cause,” Soriano said.

The summit also celebrated the achievements of the 2024 Gold Eagle Scholar graduates from UP Diliman and the graduates of InLife’s Scholarship Program for Employees’ Dependents. These milestones highlight the Foundation’s enduring impact on education and its role in empowering young individuals to create positive change within their communities.

One of the graduates, Gold Eagle Scholar Yannis Fernandez from UP Diliman, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Insular Foundation for its unwavering support throughout their academic journey. Speaking on behalf of her fellow graduates, she remarked, “We are privileged to have access to education, and hopefully, this privilege will not be caged in us alone. I am hoping that as the sunflowers bloomed despite the storm, we will also power through amidst chaos and seeming hopelessness.”

Through initiatives like the Career Readiness Summit and the Gold Eagle College Scholarship Program, Insular Foundation continues to inspire, equip, and enable young Filipinos to dream boldly and achieve meaningfully. These efforts reflect InLife’s broader mission to uplift lives and create opportunities for a brighter future.