PILOT Cohort 16: To The Moon 🌙

This summer we celebrated our EPIC’s 16th Cohort of Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow (or PILOT) Summer Institute. This year’s partnership was held at California State University of San Marcos, CSUSM’s APIDA Success Initiative.

This year’s PILOT Summer Institute was an intimate group of 13 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Leaders, whose age ranged from 19 to 27. Our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander leaders traveled throughout San Diego County, from Northern California, and as far as Hawai’i to attend this 5-days, 4-night Summer Institute. 

Our host campus partners, CSUSM’S APIDA welcomed our leaders into the University Village Apartments, UVA. This year all 13 emerging leaders were able to spend a week in the UVA, build community, and experience an aspect of college life. 

This year we were able to bring back 3 PILOT Alum to serve as MANA mentors, and Co-PILOTS. Mana mentors served as peer support, when Scholars stepped into the MANA room; a sacred space for Scholars to release, and rejuvenate throughout the program. In the role as a Co-PILOT, PILOT alum were able to lead/co-lead workshops. 

On behalf of EPIC, I share my deepest gratitude to our PILOT planning committee members, campus partners, and the Leaders of Cohort 16 for making this year’s PILOT Summer Institute memorable! 

We invite you all to remain connected via our EPIC newsletter, and our PILOT alumni network, Cohort 16, be on the lookout for upcoming Semester Sessions, next steps on Forward Movement Projects, and other opportunities to remain engaged with EPIC!  

With love, 

Taelani Camacho 

Program Coordinator