Celebrating an illustrious academic career that spanned four decades, the Administrative Council paid tribute to Dr. Nancy Gaerlan Ballesteros Balantac, former vice president for academic affairs, in a program dubbed \"Bagnosdaka!\" on April 13 at the MMSU multi-purpose function hall.

The program was attended by university officials, family members of the honoree, and other well-wishers.

Dr. Balantac served as vice president for academic affairs for almost ten years and officer in charge of the university for six months.

She was the first dean of the then MMSU Open University (OU) and first lady dean of CAF. She was the pioneer director of the Center for Applied Research and Technology Transfer (CARRT) at the MMSU campus in Dingras and the first director of the University Extension Services Unit.

She served as manager of the MMSU-FAO/UNDP Project on Strengthening Applied Research and Training for the Development of Dryland Agriculture.

As MMSU vice president and officer in charge, she developed and enriched curricular offerings; led the paradigm shift in academic affairs and accreditation of academic programs; recommended the establishment of review centers and opening of laboratory schools for early childhood education programs; initiated the formulation of criteria and guidelines for hiring, renewal and promotion of faculty; and recommended revised guidelines for manpower development, on-the-job training, and educational tour guidelines.

As OU dean, CAF dean, CARRT director, and extension services director, she designed training programs and developed modules; revised curricular offerings; proposed income-generating projects; motivated faculty members to be actively involved in research and extension work and recommended them for promotion and professional advancement; set up the organizational structure of the University Extension Services Unit as well as its working philosophy, objectives, and work plan; and strengthened technology transfer and utilization.

As MMSU-FAO/UNDP-assisted Dryland Agriculture Project manager, she assisted the national project director and the chief technical adviser in overall planning, organizing, and management; piloted appropriate technologies and farming systems for dryland agriculture; strengthened management and technical staff through international and national scholarship and training grants; and organized cooperative and off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities of its members.

She holds a B.S. in Agricultural Education from CLSU; an M.S. in the same field from UPLB; a Ph.D. in Extension Education, UPLB; and a post-doctor’s degree from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev-Institute for Applied Research in Israel.

Dr. Balantac served as CHED national assessor of some deregulated and non-accredited Higher Education Institutions for quality assurance. She was also an AACCUP accreditor.

She started as classroom teacher in 1963 at the Camarines Norte National High School in Daet, Camarines Norte. She returned to her hometown in 1968 to teach at the Dingras National Agricultural School which became the MMSU-CARRT Dingras. She entered MMSU in 1976 as junior college instructor at the then MMMCST in Dingras. She rose to full professor in 1988, barely 12 years after she entered the university.