As part of the 27th Commencement Exercises of the University, the graduates of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Education (FED) were gathered to celebrate their milestone through a recognition and fellowship program held last December 15, 2023 at the CCDL Auditorium, UP Open University Headquarters.
The program commenced through the singing of the national anthem led by Ms. Isabel Claros, one of the graduates of the Bachelor of Education Studies (BES) program. Dr. Charisse Reyes, Dean of FED, formally opened the program, welcoming the graduates and guests.
The program then proceeded to the recognition rites and graduates were presented their certificates, awarding and pinning of those with Latin Honors, Dean’s List, Chancellor’s List, and Pahinungód Volunteers.
One of the highlights of the event was the speech of Ms. Jemima Reside, a graduate of the BES program. She shared how people are sometimes irked at the nature of her chosen mode of learning but for her, the redeeming quality of studying in a distance learning set-up is the amount of discipline and self-efficacy it gives the students.
“I can say that one of the greatest things that UPOU has taught me is to read my emails on time. Kidding aside, UPOU allowed me to develop my self-efficacy and become more responsible, especially with my academics. The program also enabled me to develop critical thinking skills and reflective learning abilities.”
In another particularly poignant moment, the mother of the late Rozette Rabe, a posthumous student of the BES program, received her certificate and award at the event. She was also one of the students recognized with a cum laude award.
The ceremony did not only honour the academic excellence of its graduates but also showcased their talents through intermission numbers.
The event concluded with the singing of UP Naming Mahal followed by the UPOU Alumni Foundation, Inc. FED Chapter Election of Officers.
Written by Carla Alyssa Cabrera ♦ Edited by Myra C. Almodiel and Anna Cañas-Llamas
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