Jim Rayphand
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly that of the writer and do not explicitly or necessarily reflect, nor represent the policies and position of Northern Marianas College.
IT’S one thing to say “I’m humbled” in the moment of whatever it is that calls for an acknowledgement of gratitude, but it really is a whole other level (unnerving, if I’m being honest) to actually be humbled in the sense of feeling unworthy or at least being too far behind the curve. Knowing or rather feeling like I know nothing is…well…humbling. Such is the feeling I’m having to endure in these initial days of employment with Northern Marianas College. This being only my second week on the job, I simply don’t know nearly as much as I should. I certainly don’t know half as much as any one of the other people who work in the office and throughout the college with me. That becomes more and more clear with the passing of each new day. For emphasis (perhaps in particular for someone like me who pretends to know everything and generally thinks he can do anything), it is unsettling to be the weak link.
Put another way, there is so much more going on here and so many more moving parts than I could have ever imagined. If there is a bright spot or silver lining on the future of the CNMI then the college is smack dab at the center of it. For a glimpse of what I’m talking about look for the recording of CNMI legislative budget hearing on June 24, 2025 with NMC’s leadership — I for one was taken aback and in awe of what’s been and is going on here. I can’t imagine how any of the gentle men and women of our House of Representatives would not be doing everything they possibly can to support and accommodate every single cent requested by this institution. “We have never, ever gotten the full amount of local appropriations support that we request for annually,” I heard one of the presenters say. Also, “the taxes generated by the college exceed the allotments we get” — I’m quoting here, but I’m not exactly sure that’s what was said. Whatever the case, the college is worthy and earns every cent it gets and the good folks up on the hill ought to know it.
The college is investing heavily in opportunities to, as the college president says, “improve lives” and subsequently the life of our island community as a whole — “an educated community is a prosperous community.” I would add for those debating about whether or not to attend school at NMC that your investment in an education with us can only serve to improve your life. Perhaps that can be said about school anywhere, but it’s only here that your attendance infuses an immediate benefit to our local economy as well. There are personal advantages for you too — come talk with us to find out more. Finally, you aren’t going to find a collective group of people anywhere more directly and genuinely invested in your personal growth and success than you will here at home. Your success is our success.
To be sure, there will always be areas in need of improvement, so we will continue working to make things better. Not my words, but “we aren’t going to ask why we cannot do something; instead (or rather), we will ask how we can do it?”
I find some irony with me stepping away from a puttering (if not failing) fishing career in the seas around Saipan to me jumping into a new career in what is lovingly referred to as the Sea of Red. I find myself paddling ferociously to keep ahead of the waves. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a decent paddler with plenty of solid paddlers in the canoe with me. I don’t feel like I’m in danger of being lost at sea though it may take a while for me to get ahead of and ride the waves under sail with the rest of our PROAs. Here’s to fair winds and following seas.
For more about how to enroll at NMC, please contact the Admissions and Records Office at (670) 234-5498 or visit www.marianas.edu/admissions online/.
