The University of San Carlos (USC), in collaboration with Uniservitate Asia & Oceania Regional Hub (UA&ORH) of De La Salle University (DLSU), successfully concluded the Service-Learning Student Fellowship (SLSF) 2025—a week-long leadership formation program that brought together student leaders from across the Asia Pacific region. Held from August 3 to 11 in Cebu, the program aimed to empower students as advocates of service-learning (SL) and social justice in their home institutions and communities.

At its core, Service-Learning (SL) is an educational approach that integrates academic knowledge with meaningful community engagement. It enables students to apply what they learned in the classroom to address real-world issues, encouraging critical reflection, leadership, and active citizenship. The SLSF 2025 built on this framework, immersing participants in a transformative journey that blends service, advocacy, and intercultural collaboration, with the following objectives:

• Cultivate a dynamic pool of student leaders through skills workshops and leadership formation;
• Establish a vibrant student network to champion SL initiatives in their institutions; 
• Deepen commitment to social justice through direct community engagement; and 
• Encourage reflection on justice, peace, and sustainability through workshops and dialogue.

Throughout the week, student fellows engaged in a rich curriculum combining SL theory, intercultural competency training, community visits, and hands-on project implementation. One of the program’s highlights was the community immersion in SVD-partner communities in Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City, and Sitio Miramar, Talisay City, where students addressed pressing local needs through targeted initiatives.

In Sitio Miramar, the Education and Community Leadership theme cluster introduced B.A.S.I.C. Care, an interactive hygiene education program for children and youth. Sessions focused on handwashing, menstrual hygiene, grooming, and oral care—responding to community-identified health challenges. Other activities included financial literacy workshops, team-building exercises, and the formation of women’s self-help groups aimed at empowering local residents.

Meanwhile, in Bankal, participants facilitated workshops on mosquito-borne disease prevention, teaching residents how to make natural repellents from lemongrass. They also introduced the concept of cooperatives, highlighting their benefits and potential to drive economic growth through collective action.

Students from USC’s Interior Design and Psychology programs collaborated with community members to paint vibrant murals (see photo above) that celebrate local identity and aspirations. These public artworks now serve as visual symbols of unity, shared values, and community pride.

More than just a training ground, SLSF 2025 was a launchpad for sustainable change. Students developed action plans to bring SL initiatives back to their respective institutions, ensuring a ripple effect from the fellowship extends far beyond Cebu.

Organized by USC’s Community Extension Service in partnership with DLSU’s UA&ORH, the event exemplified how integrated learning and service can nurture responsible, compassionate leaders ready to tackle today’s social and environmental challenges.

The week concluded with a culminating get-together (see photo above) celebrating not only the friendships and networks built but also the shared purpose of creating a more just, inclusive, and compassionate world.

As the 2025 fellows return home, they carry with them not only the lessons of service-learning but the conviction that even small actions can lead to powerful, lasting change.