The Commencement Exercises held last May 27, 2016 was not just a success due to its smooth flow, but also because of the celebration of the lives of our two cum laudes, Ms. Rose Ann A. Bolitres (GWA: 1.45) and Mr. Kervin Austhin H. Chua (GWA: 1.41).

      Rose Ann started from humble beginnings. A “probinsyana”, she calls herself, she had a difficult time adjusting with the life in Metro Manila not only because of its fast-paced complexities she was not used to in the province, but also because of her provincial accent. She experienced being bullied by some of her classmates and struggled a lot with her adjustments to the life in the metro. She was also almost pressured by her peers.

       Luckily, she was able to find a good company who also pressured her – to study really well. According to her, she endured sleepless nights in order for her to do well in all her classes. She was not expecting to be a cum laude. But she did it for herself, to nourish her mind, and to enrich her purpose.

     Aside from doing well in her chosen program of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Rose Ann also made sure she balances her academic and social life. To her friends, she is someone everyone could trust with their secrets. That made her a true example to their clique.

      Rose Ann’s life was not at all different from the life of Kervin Austhin Chua, the best of his class. But in his case, graduating as the best student in his batch was never his thought because he was not diligent way back his younger days.

      Kervin, “Chua” to his classmates, used to call himself a failure. Because literally, he failed his classes in grade school. He admits he was not an intelligent one. He got confused with his lessons and even needed to repeat his grade level once.

       But that did not stop Kervin from achieving his dreams. When he stepped unto college, he promised himself that he will not fail his mother anymore again. So no matter how difficult it was for him to understand his lessons, he tried his best to be diligent enough to work hard, submit all his tasks on time, ask his teachers for clarifications, and most of all, learn new skills.

      Kervin did not just do well in his classes, but also in extra-curricular activities. He was part of the Student Council and joined the Chef’s Express competition for two consecutive years. These activities, according to Kervin, honed him to being more patient and persistent in his work.

Now that he was able to prove that succeeding in academics is really just a matter of hard work and dedication, Kervin continues to remain humble and serves as an inspiration to his friends and schoolmates.

        Indeed, STI College Muñoz-EDSA is proud of you, Rose Ann and Kervin! Keep on shining you light!

By: Erika M. Ilagan