FCCH Fellows Program

The Filipino Chamber of Commer of Hawaiʻi (FCCH) Fellows program is a leadership development program made up of emerging leaders who show the potential to make a difference in the community and in their industry. Each cohort class is comprised of a diverse group of individuals who will not only build individual skills for personal self-growth but will also gain greater insight in a broad range of other industries and social issues. The program is geared to provide a deeper awareness of civic duty through engagements with social, business, and government leaders. In having each Fellow bring their own unique experiences, perspectives, and ideas to the group, activities allow the Fellows to participate in visionary thinking to initiative change, creating lasting memories and relationships in the processes.

Mission

The core mission of the FCCH Fellows Program is to:

• Identify and develop emerging leaders in business, community, healthcare, education, arts, media, military, civic, governmental, or other industry sectors;
• Expand the Fellows' breadth of knowledge in various industries throughout Hawaii;
• Cultivate a civic-minded mentality in all Fellows;
• Enhance leadership skills through hands-on planning and implementation of solutions for the current community, business, or industry-related challenges;
• Connect prominent leaders with future leaders that show potential to be impactful in the community, business, and industry;
• Encourage an entrepreneurial mindset;
• Create a network of community, business, and industry leaders.

Curriculum

During the eight-month program, FCCH Fellows gain a deeper awareness of social, business, and industry issues.  Engagements with professionals, activists, experts, and government leaders simulate thought-provoking ideas towards solutions for the betterment of society.  The diversity of this band of trailblazers brings unique perspectives and assorted views to initiate change.

FCCH Fellows participate in a variety of activities including group field trips, cohort meetings, and individualized mentorship.  The program kicks off each year with a retreat for Fellows to meet their classmates and develop their own group identity, citing relevant issues and activities that they want to partake.  A concerted effort will be made in this program to include successful Filipino-Americans as mentors to serve as role models who can share their unique experiences and challenges of being a Filipino-American.

Each class will participate in a graduation ceremony which will be held at the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s annual Entrepreneur of the Year event.

Candidate

Each class of Fellows will be selected by a committee with certain characteristics taken into consideration.  Generally, the Fellow:

• Shows leadership qualities;
• Displays potential for higher success;
• Is of good character;
• Is of good standing in the community and profession;
• Is self-directed, and is aware of self (strengths, vulnerabilities, and triggers);
• Experiments beyond self’s comfort zone;
• Has the professional business or executive management acumen [discretionary trait];
• Preferably, is civic-minded.

Individual diversity within each class is imperative in order to bring a variety of viewpoints and opinions.  Varying professions, contracting stages in one’s career, differing upbringing, and diverging interests are criteria that may also be considered in forming the cohort class.  Each class is anticipated to range between 4 to 8 participants each year.