A DAUGHTER of a sugarcane farmer from Barangay Agtabo, Passi City in Iloilo province finished her college degree as summa cum laude.
Karen M. Gardose, 20, is among the 79 college scholars of the Provincial Government who were recognized on Friday afternoon.
Gardose finished her Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics degree at the West Visayas State University (WVSU)-main campus in Iloilo City.
She said that she never expected to get the highest award.
“First of all, I’m overwhelmed and blessed because I wasn’t expecting to reach this award,” said Gardose. “Never in my life I thought to receive such award.”
Recalling all the hardships she gone through since her elementary days, Gardose, who is second among four siblings, said that her dream to alleviate her family from poverty motivated her to do best in her studies.
She said she is planning to further study Actuarial Mathematics because she dreams of working in the government in the near future. But for the meantime, she said she wanted to teach in senior high school in one of the schools in Passi City.
Gardose thanked the Provincial Government for giving her the opportunity to study in college, saying the scholarship was a huge help to students who are unable to study due to lack of money.
Gardose, whose house is 10 kilometers away from her school, advised aspiring students to never give up on their dreams despite the challenges.
“Poverty is indeed not a hindrance to success! Have faith, have courage, LABAN LANG! NEVER SURRENDER! AND ABOVE ALL NEVER STOP PRAYING!” Gardose posted on her Facebook account.
rThis year, 25 of the 79 college scholars graduated with academic honors. Aside from Gardose, six graduated magna cum laude and 18 others as cum laude.
The magna cum laude graduates are:
- Aliyah Jesena of Maasin town (BS in Business Administration)
- Glenda Palmes, Cabatuan (Bachelor in Special Education)
- Christian Jay Ponsica, Banate (BS in Business Administration)
- Jessa Senope, Barotac Nuevo (BS in Business Administration)
- Emerielle Kaye Sorolla, New Lucena (BS in Biology)
- Mellisa Suganob, Cabatuan (BS in Forestry).
Summa cum laude graduates received P7,000 cash from the Provincial Government; while magna cum laude graduates got P5,000; cum laude, P3,000; and the remaining “Iskolar sang Iloilo” graduates received P1,000 each. (PNA/SunStar Philippinse)