Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, center, smiles as Tania David receives the Excellence in Leadership Award from NMC President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero.
Former Rep. Tina Sablan delivers the keynote address during the Northern Marianas College graduation ceremony at the MHS gym Friday.
Northern Marianas College President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero delivers his remarks.
OVER 260 Northern Marianas College students received their diplomas Friday at the Marianas High School gymnasium.
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios joined NMC President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Ed.D., and the NMC Board of Regents in congratulating the graduates.
Bachelor of Science in Business Management graduate Shannon Rae T. Sasamoro and Associate of Science in Natural Resources Management cum laude Jaden Villacrusis received the Excellence in Service Award while Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts graduate Jefferson Roe S. Cunanan and Bachelor of Science in Business Management graduate Tania P. David were commended for excellence in leadership.
The top awardees were Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration summa cum laude Lou Kristine Baylon Cruz, Bachelor of Science in Education summa cum laude Annel Louise P. Ligaya, Bachelor of Science in Education summa cum laude Dino Rafael Taitano Jr. and Associate of Science in Natural Resource Management summa cum laude Alexander Donovan A. Tudela.
Bachelor of Science in Business Management graduate Jelbert Quitugua delivered the student commencement address.
He said their current circumstance defines the NMC Class of 2023. “It’s the new normal, the world and everyone in it,” he said. Now more than ever, they are the navigators that “help us sail through seas of uncertainties,” he added.
“We will remember our struggles, sacrifices and our success,” he said.
Sail forth into the world
The keynote speaker, former Rep. Tina Sablan, told the Proas: “May you sail forth into the world with your courage and tenacity. May your loved ones and your community and your education be the wind in your sails, and may your dreams be the stars that guide you.”
The Chamorro voyaging canoe, the proa, is NMC’s mascot.
Sablan said, “In the face of so much adversity, the Proas persisted because they saw education as the key to a good life, to financial security and the ability to take care of themselves and their families. It’s the key to a sense of purpose and the privilege of being able to give back to the community, the key to fulfillment of their dreams as they want to set a good example for others and be a bridge for them to reach their dreams, as well.”
She added, “Your story, graduates, is the story of NMC, and of this community.” She quoted the NMC president saying to her, “Our love for this community is deeper than the Marianas trench. Our islands may be small, but our dreams are vast.”
Sablan said many of the graduates have expressed their desire to use their education to help other people and do good in the world.
“I hope so,” she added, “because we need you.”
“We live in a time of unprecedented adversity both locally and globally. The whole planet is in crisis with the changing climate. Islands are on the frontlines. But really, so is everyone and everything else. Our oceans, our infrastructure, our foods, our health, our homes are all imperiled,” she said.
“We need you Proas and more citizens like you, to light and lead the way. The future belongs to you,” Sablan said.
The value of education
In his remarks, NMC President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero asked, “Why is graduation important?”
He said some question the value of higher education. They question if it’s worth investing in.
“Well, I’m here to tell you, and everyone else, that there’s nothing more valuable than education. And in higher education, we measure that value with what we call outcomes,” he added.
The more important outcome is student development, he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that NMC has excelled in achieving this outcome with over 200 degrees conferred today. And with thousands of graduates over the past 42 years, NMC has established a rich legacy of helping people with more prosperous, more productive and more meaningful lives,” he said.
“And today, you, dear graduates, are a living proof of that legacy. You are the ultimate outcome that proves the value of education,” he added.
He noted that Leslie Rapiz, one of NMC’s nursing graduates, is also one of the most trusted maintenance employees of the college.
“She arrives at the campus every workday before 5 a.m. to keep the campus clean and safe, all the while taking classes and taking care of two children,” Deleon Guerrero said.
“Tania David, another full-time working mother who tragically lost both her father and father-in-law in the past year, persisted in earning her business degree all the while serving as vice president of a business club and leading one of the region’s top banks.
“DeVonne Sablan from the School of Education chose to fulfill her passion with child protective services at the Division of Youth Services where she worked with society’s most vulnerable population to help survivors of abuse and neglect, recover, heal and thrive.”
These graduates, Deleon Guerrero said, “are yet again just a small sample of the many stories that affirmed the value of education.”
“Our dear Proas,” he added, “it’s not enough to congratulate you. We must also thank you for inspiring us with all that you’ve overcome, all that you’ve accomplished and all that you are because you remind us what today is all about. You remind us how important education is. You remind us that the value of education is quite simply priceless.”
