By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

NORTHERN Marianas College’s newly installed President Carmen Fernandez will confer NMC’s first honorary degree on a student Saturday during its 27th commencement exercises.
The recipient is Jung Hwan Ku, one of the four students who drowned off Forbidden Island last March.
Ku will also be recognized on the tribute page of the graduation program booklet to honor his memory and achievements.
According to NMC registrar Doris Aldan Atalig, Ku was supposed to graduate this semester with his colleagues in the bachelor of science program.
“He was just three months away from completing his major. This will be the first time that the college has conferred such a degree,” she told Variety.
A candidate for an honorary degree is usually a member of the community or the business sector who has made an outstanding contribution to the welfare of that community.
Atalig is expecting the commencement ceremony to be a “very somber, solemn but exciting occasion” for everyone.
A chair and a graduation cap will be reserved in honor of Ku.
Fernandez is also expected to pay tribute to two other students who died with Ku last March —Mira Yang who was in elementary education and Song Won Seo from the liberal arts program
Parents of the students will have reserved seats in the VIP section.