IVAN S. Blanco, a freshman at the University of Guam, has been named to the Dean’s List for the 2020 fall semester.
Ivan S. Blanco
Full-time undergraduate students who are seeking their first baccalaureate degree and achieve at least a 3.5 GPA for all coursework completed during an academic term are listed on the Dean’s List.
He or she must have completed at least 12 credit hours that are letter graded only.
Blanco is the son of Rep. Ivan A. Blanco and Carmen Sablan of the CNMI and the FSM.
He is a graduate of Xavier High School in Chuuk, and currently studies business administration at UOG.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ivan S. Blanco has been taking courses online instead of in-person.
“It’s a very new thing. It’s hard not seeing my classmates and not actually learning in the classroom from my teachers. It was difficult for me at first, but I’ve learned to adapt, to go with what we have, and just make the most out of it,” he said, noting his transition from in-person classes in high school to online courses in college.
He attends classes two days a week, and for the remainder of the week, works at the CNMI Department of Labor as a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program coordinator.
“It’s a challenge to juggle both work and school, but it’s a challenge that I learn from. It definitely helps me and teaches me a lot. It’s a really great experience for me to actually be in the office, assist claimants and assist people who need help,” he said.
Ivan S. Blanco aspires to open up businesses in the CNMI and the FSM in the long run and to continue to do his part in addressing the unemployment rates in both jurisdictions.
“I always try to be very vocal and open, and to seek first to understand others’ perspectives than to be understood,” he said.
In his spare time, he loves to spend quality time with his loved ones, and also tends to his backyard garden, chickens, and dog.
“I try my best to show my culture and to not be ashamed of who I am,” he said.
To the younger generations who are adapting to the new norm, he encourages them to keep an open mind.
“A really great piece of advice that I received from my great-grandmother is that God gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason. Always smile, greet, and treat people with kindness,” he said.
