UP Mindanao To Hold 18th Commencement in June

The University of the Philippines Mindanao will be holding its 18th Commencement Exercises on Wednesday, 24 June 2015 at 6:45 AM. The ceremonies will be held at the UP Mindanao Atrium, Mintal, Davao City. The event is UP Mindanao’s first commencement exercises to be held on the month of June after the UP System changed its academic calendar last August 2014.

The University will be graduating a total of 205 students this year: 90 from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 78 from the College of Science and Mathematics, and 37 from the School of Management. The Class of 2015 will be led by two students graduating magna cum laude and 32 students graduating cum laude.

Mr. Randy Halasan, the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership, will grace the event as this year’s Commencement Speaker. Through his services as teacher at the Pegalongan Elementary School in Sitio Pegalongan, Malamba, Marilog District, Halasan helped the Matigsalog community gain access to education and sustainable livelihood. Halasan, who was assigned as Pegalongan Elementary School’s first teacher in 2007, has since helped the Matigsalog community establish a farmer’s association, procure a corn and rice mill, build a cattle farm and a seed bank, and forge a forest rehabilitation program with the local government. Halasan is a graduate of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) and is now the head teacher of Pegalongan Elementary School. He is also the recipient of the Bato Balani Foundation of Teachers Award. His work with the Matigsalog community was featured in GMA 7’s I Witness TV program. (John Bengan)