Mariano Marcos
State University

MMSU alum pays forward success through scholarships

By Ian Paul Villanueva

Coming full circle from his days as an accounting student in the early 1990s, Hawaii-based entrepreneur Mr. Lawrence Patricio returned to the College of Business, Economics, and Accountancy (CBEA) last February 20 to award scholarship grants to the scholars of the MMSU Global Alumni, Inc. (MGA) - Hawaii.

Through the program “Lessons from Hawaii and Token of Aloha,” led by the Internationalization, Linkages, and Partnerships Directorate at the CBEA Lobby, Mr. Patricio, who is also the president of MGA-Hawaii, personally handed stipends to the organization’s sixteen (16) beneficiaries on behalf of the association.

The cash assistance programs are aimed at aiding academically outstanding but financially challenged students from across the colleges. The Academic Excellence Scholarship is available to third and fourth-year students to help with their research and internship expenses. On the other hand, the Licensure Assistance Program targets graduates who are preparing for licensure exams.

Now a successful businessman who manages a hair studio in Hawaii, Mr. Patricio stressed the importance of honoring and giving back to one’s roots. “It is essential for us to give back to our community. By supporting our alma mater and one another, we can create similar opportunities for future generations,” he said.
 

“Looking back on my time here and how it has led me to where I am today fills me with gratitude. My education and experience at this university played a pivotal role in my professional and personal development,” he added, recounting his days as an accounting student in CBEA.
 

Mr. Patricio was inducted as President of MGA-Hawaii last May 2025. His leadership was instrumental in raising ₱434,141 for the scholarship programs from MGA-Hawaii’s activities last year. The full amount, the ILP says, will be enough for the scholarship programs to last at least until 2029.

In his speech, MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., said, “On behalf of the MMSU community, I thank the MGA and President Lawrence Patricio, as well as our CBEA alumni, who are very active and supportive of our university, as reflected in their numerous projects.”
 

President Manzano also expressed his hopes for a wider and more engaged alumni community, especially as the university pursues its SUCCEED agenda. “MMSU’s core function is instruction, and we have a lot of work to do when it comes to improving our students’ learning experience. For this, we are thankful to the MGA and all the other alumni associations, and look forward to expanding our partnerships with you,” he said.

Besides the scholarship program, MGA-Hawaii is also behind the construction of the Alumni Park in Batac Campus and the refurbishment of the open learning space at the MMSU-College of Teacher Education and the CBEA Lobby.