By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Committed to boost ties with its alumni abroad, Mariano Marcos State University has established the United Kingdom Chapter of its Global Alumni Network. 

Led by MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis, the launch of the alumni chapter was held at the Hotel London Ibis Stratford in London, UK on November 5. Several MMSU graduate-professionals in the European country attended the network’s soft launching via in-person and online. 

The alumni chapter aims to create a fortified network that will help bring the university’s name in the global setting; and, to conduct programs and projects that foster the welfare of the members, their families, and the academic community.

“I hope that through this alumni chapter, we can work together, cultivate networks, and build on each other’s accomplishments,” said PSCA, as she welcomed the attendees in the first-ever alumni meeting in UK.

MMSU Federated Alumni Association president Gwyneth Quidang said, “We hope the chapter will provide sustainable and lifelong collaboration and active partnership between the university and its alumni, in support to MMSU’s thrusts and strategic goals.” 

Attendees of the soft launching in London welcomed the university’s move to establish the alumni network in UK. 

Prince Alpha Demandante, a graduate of BS Nursing in 2013 and MA Nursing in 2018, expressed excitement to share their expertise and inputs to help advance the university’s internationalization efforts. Living in UK for three years now, Demandante works as urgent clinical flow coordinator of the UK’s Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust in Portsmouth, Hampshire. 

“I am glad to learn that there are many MMSU graduates here in UK. With the MMSU alumni network, collaborating with one another for a shared goal is now more possible,” said Salome Fallah-Williams, a secondary education graduate of batch 2010. Staying in the UK for 12 years now, she currently works as an administrator of Practical Tools Initiative Ltd, England and Wales.  

University alumni relations chief Krismary Sharmaine Yapo said the UK-based alumni chapter is the second global alumni network formed this year. The first alumni network was launched in Canada in April. 

The UK Chapter launching forms part of the UK mission visit of President Agrupis, together with Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, director for internationalization, linkages and partnerships; and Dr. Saturnina Nisperos, director for futures thinking and strategic foresight. 

Earlier, MMSU forged partnerships with the University of East London and the Liverpool Hope University in UK. The mission visit is about transnational education partnership in Information Technology under the Access and Competitiveness through Internationalization of Higher Education project of the British Council of the Philippines and the Commission on Higher Education, led by CHED Chair J. Prospero E. De Vera and British Council Director Lotus Postrado. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)