KARL NICK D. Balintec will steal the limelight today, April 3, at the Mariano Marcos State University’s 30th Commencement Exercises at the University Sunken Garden as he graduates on top of the members of Class 2008.

Balintec will be conferred a B.S. Accountancy degree with a general weighted average (GWA) of 1.28 making him one of six magna cum laude graduates of his class.

The magna cum laude is given to a graduate who obtains a GWA of 1.21-1.45.

Balintec is a resident of Brgy. 12, Vintar, Ilocos Norte and a 2004 graduate of the MMSU Science High School-Batac.

The five other graduates who share the highest honors are:  Eldefonso B. Natividad, B Secondary Education (1.32); Janill I. Magano, BS Biology (1.33); Glaiza P. Malto, BS Accountancy (1.43); Ann Margarette R. Abuluyan, BS Nursing (1.43); and Joel S. Damaso, BS Industrial Technology (1.43).

In addition to the top honors, 46 cum laude graduates including four who finished their degrees in summer 2007 were produced by MMSU.  The cum laude is conferred to a graduate with a GWA of 1.46-1.75.

A total of 1, 341 will receive their degrees at the ceremony, of which     1, 320 will be conferred bachelor’s degrees; 17, master’s degrees; and 4, doctor’s degrees.

Most of the graduates come from the College of Teacher Education (elementary and secondary education) with 263 of them, followed by those from the College of Health Sciences (nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy), 260; College of Industrial Technology (industrial technology and industrial education), 247; and College of Business, Economics, and Accountancy (accountancy, business administration, cooperative management, and economics), 227.