By Stephanie Camille Ilar

The pioneering batch of psychology students at Mariano Marcos State University held its first-ever pinning ceremony at the Student Center today, August 18, as they are about to start their internship.
With the theme “Advancing Knowledge, Embodying Action,” 56 senior psychology students received their pins, symbolizing their readiness to serve in hospitals, mental health institutions, schools, and various community-based settings.

Dr. Marlina Lino, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), lauded the batch’s dedication, expressing hopes of setting a remarkable standard for its succeeding batches. “So that in all the best way that we could, we would be able to make a significant mark and history not just in CAS, but also of MMSU, of hitting a 100 percent passing in the licensure examination for psychometricians someday,” she said.
Representing VP for academic affairs Dr. Aris Reynold Cajigal, Dr. Lino also conveyed, “We send you off for your internship with high hopes that you will become the ambassadors of education in any part of the world,” urging the students to do their best in the field.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Marfel Gagni, program coordinator, the pinning ceremony is not only symbolic, but it also honors the academic dedication, personal growth, and professional readiness of the students as they prepare to transition from classroom learning to clinical immersion.

The ceremony was also witnessed by guest speaker Marcia Abadilla-Felliza, Psychologist II at Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center; PATEG Center Chief Dr. Christine Joy Lim; and Social Science Department Chair Prof. Rex-Belli Alejandro.

As interns, the pioneering students are expected to engage individuals and groups in need of psychological care, support, and understanding, attending to them with accountability and empathy to establish a legacy for the future of psychology education in MMSU.