By Linda Baylon
Every well-meaning basic educational institutions have their own crowns of glory in terms of the performance of their graduates in the tertiary level of education. How some of their students fared in the achievements of their career path is inspiring and crucial to the continuing credibility of their institution to the educational community.
ACEM is one of these private schools that cater to the middle and upper class learners. For the last twenty one (21) years we are happy to present to our adherents some of our graduates who have been achievers in their chosen careers. These are students who came back to us to say thank you and as always coupled with tears of joy in gratefulness. To a private school like ACEM, we are indeed blessed to have encountered these former students who are now highly successful in their professional life, to find in their hearts a space to endear ACEM insignificant as we are. The career paths that these students have chosen to follow give you an idea how they were prepared for college education at ACEM.
KEVIN JEROME B. BATA was a quiet, unassuming, soft-spoken, but very focused and diligent student during his high school years at ACEM where he graduated with honors in 2008. With a very supportive family, Kevin’s destiny has already been defined. Equipped by his foundational education at ACEM high school, Kevin successfully made it to the College of Engineering of the De La Salle University, Manila and graduated Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with Specialization in Construction Technology and Management in 2013. While in the University, Kevin took every opportunity to excel in all his endeavors. He was a recipient of the following awards: Jose Rizal First Honors Certificate, 2011-2012, Jose Rizal Second Honors Certificate, 2012-2013, and Gold Medal for Outstanding Civil Engineering Thesis, 2013. Right now, Kevin is hoping not only to pass the licensure exam for civil engineers but he is also aspiring to be one of the top finishers. In all these, Kevin looks back and recognizes the importance of his ACEM education and has this to say:
“I am grateful to ACEM for nurturing my potentials and for providing me the opportunity to cultivate higher thinking approaches that allow greater utility of new information to ensure success in analyzing and solving engineering problems. Moreover, ACEM has boosted my confidence in the use of English as a tool for communication which is a key factor to become a successful engineer and entrepreneur in a highly competitive corporate world.”
MARK ANGELO SANTOS was a well-rounded, smart student when he was in high school. He was a student leader, a CAT Officer and a member of the ACEM Dance Troupe. He has a good grasp of the English language, but his natural ability in numbers and fondness in applied science gave him the edge over his classmates. In 2007, he graduated his secondary education with honors, and a recipient of the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Academic Excellence and Leadership Award.
In college, Mark pursued a course in BS Computer Engineering at the Mapua Institute of Technology as an academic scholar until his graduation 2012. In 2011, once again he proved to everybody that he wasn’t an ordinary student as his design was recognized as the IEEE Best Project Design by the MIT-Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. During his graduation in 2012, he was named Don Thomas Mapua Gold Medalist.
Bemedalled as he was as a student, Mark did not rest in his laurels. He continued to pursue excellence in his chosen career. Perhaps, he was very much aware of how fast technology could change overnight. He completed some special trainings in Internship-Web Developer with Emerson Electric Asia (2011-2012), CISCO Networking at MIT CISCO Academy (2011-2012), and Microsoft.Net at MIT Graduate Studies (2011-2012).
Considering his excellent academic records and trainings, Mark was privileged to work with the International Electronics Machine in New York, USA as Embedded Systems Engineer from February 2012- March 2013. Right now, he works with Samsung Electronics, Philippines as Software Engineer – Senior Staff. At this juncture Mark pauses to consider how ACEM prepared him to take on the task of disciplined study and goal-oriented career path. He simply says:
“ACEM has equipped me with academic excellence and the life-long Christian values necessary to keep me strong and confident in difficulties and failures and to remain humble and magnanimous in my success and achievements.”
DONNA A. CASTRONUEVO graduated as the class valedictorian of ACEM’s first group of high school graduates in 2003. Her mentors at ACEM remember her as a demure, focused, goal-oriented, responsible, God-fearing young lady. Her excellent academic performance qualified her to enter San Beda College, Manila where she graduated the Bachelor of Science in Legal Management in 2007. Right after graduation, there was still no stopping to this lady’s insatiable quest for knowledge, hence, in the next five years she pursued a post graduate study and graduated the Bachelor of Laws in the same college in 2012.
As a diligent and responsible student, Donna was a recipient of Academic Distinction Award, and a Bronze Medalist for BACES Gabi ng Parangal given by the San Beda College Organization Circle in 2007. This year, 2013, she has started to work as Paralegal/Legal Researcher at Balgos Gunaru and Jalandoni Law Office.
In all her achievements, Donna remains grateful to the people that in many ways have touched her life and the institution that was her home for four years.
“ACEM allowed me to enjoy my high school life to the fullest, and molded me to become a well-rounded person. My mentors instilled in me that a student’s fulfillment is not confined in the academic box, but it truly blossoms only when things are learned with others outside the four corners of the classroom. KUDOS to my beloved alma mater!”
JEMMELYN KRISTINE V. MIRANDA finished her basic education at the top of her class in 2005. She passed the entrance examinations at the University of the Philippines but chose to enroll at the University of Sto. Tomas where she graduated the diploma course of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in 2009. In the same year she took and passed the CPA Licensure examinations. In 2012 she became a member of a select group of certified bookkeepers when she passed the National Institute of Accounting Technicians (NIAT). As a Certified Public Accountant, she made her debut at the Cityland Development Corporation. After three years, she now is the Finance and Accounting Specialist of MAERSK GSE (Philippines) LTD.
“Perseverance and faith in God which ACEM has instilled in me made me a woman of strength, confidence and character.”
ELIAZER JOHANNAN B. SANTOS is a man of few words but with depth and conviction on what he believes is right and just according to the unchanging word of God. EJ graduated his basic education at ACEM in 2005 with flying colors. In 2010 he finished his diploma course in ECE at the Mapua University. After graduation, he decided to specialize in computer technology. In CAPGIMINI where he has been working as a software tester since 2011, he did not stop empowering himself professionally. He went through special trainings in Interaction Software and Testing Quality Board.
Today, what ever success EJ has accomplished as part of a highly competitive corporate world, he recognizes the importance of his foundational education at ACEM: “The excellent training in English unmatched even in the college level gave me the edge to stand at par with my colleagues. During crucial points in my career when difficult decisions have to be done, my deep consciousness of the absolute truths of the Bible guide me to focus on what is more important in life. These and more were instilled in my heart at ACEM.”
CATHERINE C. CO graduated her basic education at ACEM as class valedictorian in 2006. In the same year, she was accepted at the University of the East Ramon Memorial Medical Center, Inc. (UERMCI) where she graduated top 7 of her batch in Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010.
Right after graduation, Catherine pursued her passion and continued further studies in Medicine at the San Beda College, College of Medicine where she ranked 3rd of her batch for two consecutive school years, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. As she moves upward in the ladder of her career path. Catherine looks back to say:
“ACEM has inculcated in me the value of excellence in everything that I do. It was also in ACEM that I learned that we should not work to seek the approval of men but to glorify God our Father in Heaven.”
More of our ACEM graduates in our next issue.