Who says one can’t find love in open distance elearning (ODeL)? Former classmates pursuing the Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN) degree at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) fell in love while working as nurses in Saudi Arabia. UPOU alumni Reynaldo Panopio, Jr., and Daphne Joanne A. Munoz are now engaged.
Daphne learned about the availability of the MAN program at UPOU when she visited the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) office while on vacation in the Philippines. Rey, on the other hand, learned about it from a senior colleague who recommended it to him. While studying, Daphne thought that having a classmate with whom she could talk to about school requirements would be helpful and a colleague being enrolled in the same program is highly possible. True enough, Rey’s name appeared when she checked. They became close friends, compared notes, consulted, and encouraged one another to get to the finish line. Not long after, Rey pursued Daphne, and they became a couple.
For Rey, his experience as a student at UPOU was transformative. Not only did he grow professionally but personally, too. His postgraduate studies widened his network and taught him discipline, time management, perseverance, and patience through deep and tedious activities. Daphne, on the other hand, believed that having a MAN degree would put her ahead of the competition when it came time to return home. Thus, she would have a better chance of finding work back in her home country. Studying together became a good bonding time for them and helped them overcome the challenges of their demanding jobs and studies at the same time. Best of all, they found their life partner in each other. Both were thankful, felt blessed, and were proud that they were able to finish their MAN degree through the ODeL platform of UPOU. They highly recommend studying through UPOU to people who are considering taking up courses online. According to them, the material rewards of having a postgraduate degree from a prime university are exceptional, but more importantly, the lessons they learned are immeasurable.
Written by Pinky Halos
Edited by Margaret Jarmin-Suarez and Anna Cañas-Llamas
Approved by Myra C. Almodiel