His inspiration to apply for graduate school came when he took calculus during the summer of his first year at UOG. 

“I was amazed by the beautiful theorems that I learned,” Sablan said, “and I was interested in seeing the historical progression of the field.”

He credits his professors, especially Assistant Professor Raymond Paulino and Associate Professor Zoltan Szekely, for their help in solidifying his goal of attending graduate school. Under the tutelage of the two professors, Sablan learned about unique topics in mathematics and gained advice from them about their time as graduate students. 

“If it weren’t for their mentorship and guidance, I would not be where I am today," Sablan said.

As a result of his dedication to pursuing higher learning, he was awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a five-year fellowship that includes an annual stipend of $34,000 and $12,000 for tuition and fees for three years. In addition, Sablan was also awarded the Eugene Cota Robles Award and will receive a stipend amounting to $54,500 in total. 

His advice to students thinking of applying for scholarships is to "start early in pursuing different programs related to your field and plan out your application early on.” 

He emphasized the importance of finding a mentor, saying they can point students toward potential opportunities. 

“Even if you are unsure if you are competitive enough when applying to schools or scholarships, I would encourage you to still apply and make the most of the opportunities around you," Sablan said.