THIS YEAR, six faculty members were awarded scholarships in various universities in the country and abroad. Of this number, two were granted Fulbright scholarships in the United States under the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF) while four were given full scholarship for graduate studies in different universities in the country by the University Manpower Development Program (UMDP).

The two PAEF Fulbright scholars are Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr. of COE and Saturnina Nisperos of CAS while the four UMDP scholars are Neil Christian Corrales and Mark Limon of CTE; and Ma. Carmina Lorenzo and Mee Jay Domingo of COE and CAS, respectively.

Both Manzano and Nisperos were selected by the members of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Manzano will conduct advance research using climate and weather information for risk management in agriculture in the Philippines at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society of Columbia University (CU) in Palisade, New York. The duration of his research grant, which is under the Mutual Educational Exchange Act sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and the PAEF, is six months and contingent upon obtaining an official exchange visitor’s visa from the US government, medical clearance, and successful affiliation upon arrival in the New York university.

On the other hand, Nisperos is a full scholar under the PAEF Fulbright Foreign Student Program. She will take up PhD in Modeling and Simulation at the Old Dominion University Graduate School in Norfolk, Virginia, USA for three years starting in August 2014.

Meanwhile, Corrales was granted two full scholarship years under the UMDP and will pursue MA in Family Life and Childhood Development (MFLCD) at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City. His schooling will start in August 2014 until July 2016. The MFLCD program evolved from the MA in Home Economics program major in FLCD instituted by UP in 1958. As kinder adviser for seven years at the MMSU Laboratory Elementary School, Corrales said this graduate degree will help him address the need of the K-12 Program to produce competent early childhood educators as well the implementation of the new teacher education curriculum which aims to offer Bachelor in Early Childhood Education.

On the other hand, Limon was granted three full scholarship years by CHED to pursue PhD in Home Economics at UP Diliman. He will start schooling in summer 2015. The program is designed for teachers, curriculum planners, researches, trainers and other practitioners in home economics and related fields such as food, clothing, and childhood education.

Moreover, Lorenzo was granted two scholarship years by the DOST Engineering Research and Development for Technology to pursue MS in Chemical Engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila from 2014-2016.

Lastly, Domingo is now enjoying partial scholarship at the MMSU Graduate School to finish his dissertation leading to PhD in Linguistics. He is expected to graduate in summer 2015.

Meanwhile, five faculty and staff who have pursued advance studies in various universities in the country already graduated last April, according to UMDP records. They are Charmagne B. Balantac (CTE), Alma A. Sierra (CAS), Athen Lee C. Digap (CIT), Milagros Barruga (CAS), and Jayferson G. Panilo (Integrated University Laboratory Schools).

Balantac, Sierra, and Digap finished their PhD in Linguistics at the MMSU Graduate School; Barruga her M in Information Technology at the University of Cordilleras; and Panilo his MS in Chemistry from the University of Northern Philippines.