SAIPAN students Carl Jericho Lambat and Dylan James Sablan graduated from Brigham Young University in Provost, Utah last month.
Lambat obtained a bachelor of science degree in geospatial science and technology while Sablan received a bachelor of science degree in economics.
Lambat said he may either apply for a government job or help his uncle who runs a business that deals with remote sensing and ArcGIS.
The hardships and trials that his parents and family members had to go through so he could go to college motivated him to study hard, he said.
“My family has been a constant source of love and support, offering me a safe and stable home environment to study and learn. They have sacrificed their own time and resources to help me achieve my goals, and they deserve recognition for their unwavering commitment to my success,” Lambat said.
He wants to thank everybody who supported him in his academic journey.
“I want to give acknowledgment to my parents, Marilou Callejo Lambat and Bernard Bautista Lambat, for being my number one supporters throughout my life. I know that they have done so much for me and have helped me become a better man each and every day. I love them so much and I am very proud that I can call them my parents…. It’s important to take a moment to express gratitude to those who have supported and encouraged me along the way. My family and friends have been there for me through thick and thin, cheering me on, providing a listening ear, and helping me navigate the challenges that come with pursuing a higher education,” Carl Jericho Lambat said.
Serving the nation
Dylan James Sablan, for his part, said he now plans to join the U.S. Navy and serve the nation.
He wants to be an intelligence specialist or a first class petty officer.
He will also pursue an MBA in leadership and finance at the University of North Carolina.
“My family and our heritage are my motivation for academic excellence,” he added. “I’ve completed my B.S. in economics at Brigham Young University being married with two children, working with two employers (as a personal banker and Navy reservist), and serving my Church [of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] and community.”
He said it was difficult to balance family life, community service and academic excellence, but his family motivated him to keep going.
“I intend to return to Saipan someday and make a difference so I strived to become the best student I can be,” he added.
For Sablan, success “is what we become when we strive for the most important things in life. Success is character building; even when we fail, we realize our greatest potential when we are molded to our best self. Achievements are empty when our character degrades.”
He is offering his diploma to his parents, wife, children and friends.
“My undergraduate degree is a token of those who sacrificed the most for my achievement: my wife Bev, daughters, Faith and Hope, and parents, Diego and Elaine Sablan. Your overwhelming love and support propelled me to heights I did not realize [were] possible to reach. Know that my success is attributed to you and the betterment of our family!” he said.
Carl Jericho Lambat, left, and Dylan James Sablan display the CNMI flag after graduating from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
