By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

PACIFIC islanders who are interested in pursuing a career in the media and other fields of communications have until March 1 to apply for a regional scholarship being offered by the Pacific Islanders in Communications or PIC.
The PIC Scholarship Fund will be awarding grants of up to $5,000 to college students taking up media and communication courses.
“The ultimate goal (of the scholarship program) is to increase the presence and voice of Pacific Islanders in media,” PIC board president Peter Apo said.
Through the scholarship grants, Apo added, PIC hopes to launch careers for students interested in creating innovative programming for national public television.
PIC has linked up with the Hawaii Community Foundation for the scholarship program, which is available to “individuals of Pacific Island ancestry,” particularly, the “descendants of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the CNMI, and other Pacific islands.
PIC, a nonprofit group formed to “raise the profile” of Pacific Islanders in national broadcast programming, stressed that it “does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin.”
Interested students may file their application on or before March 1. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, citizens or legal residents of the U.S. or any of its territories, with proof of academic proficiency and experience in the media or communications, and commitment to the Pacific island community.
Meanwhile, the governor’s office announced that the Commission on National and Community Service Serve Guam is now accepting applications for AmeriCorps grants for community development programs “that promote ethnic civic responsibility.”
The grants are being offered to non-profit, community and faith-based organizations, whose programs and initiatives are focused on education and environment.
Eligible applicants are entities with the capability to administer a federal program, must have a detailed plan of action, and strong ties to the community that they cater to.