Of the record-breaking 208 students that graduated from the Northern Marianas College last Saturday, a total of four were able to achieve a grade point average of 4.0, the highest rating a student may achieve. That automatically gave them summa cum laude honors during last Saturday NMC commencement rites at the Koblerville Gym.<\/p>\n
One of four, Wei Wei, a graduate with an associate degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting, thanked NMC and her many friends for making her feel like she belonged on Saipan.<\/p>\n
That was distinctly different compared to how Wei felt when she first arrived on the island nine years ago. \u201cEverything to me was unfamiliar and I didn\u2019t have any family, friends nor relationships on Saipan [at the time],\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always meet people or [encounter problems] that try to make life tougher, but a tough life only teaches people how to be strong and never give up. The road to success won\u2019t be easy, but we won\u2019t stop. Today\u2019s graduation is not the end. It is also the start,\u201d said Wei in her speech.<\/p>\n
The other three summa cum laude honorees are Romana Tefania T. Chong, Leon Liang Lizama II, and Xu Jiabao.<\/p>\n
The keynote speaker, Kagman High School teacher Gerard Van Gils, challenged the new graduates to help solve the many problems currently facing the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the solution. Armed with your education, you stand ready to serve and improve our islands,\u201d said Van Gils. \u201cWe\u2019ve been waiting for your graduation. Today you should rightly celebrate, but tomorrow we have work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
A CNMI Teacher of the Year, Van Gils specifically cited the graduates with education degrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a teacher is a great and noble profession. I congratulate you on completing your education. In August, I will be back in my classroom, once again scraping gum off desks. I can\u2019t wait to welcome you as my peers to the greatest job in the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, who was also present at the 37th NMC commencement exercises, also sought to inspire the new graduates.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach one of you can make a difference wherever you\u2019re at. I ask all of you, as you walk down the aisle holding your diplomas\u2014hold it with pride and make those differences,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
In an earlier interview, NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez expressed how proud she was of all the graduates \u201cwho will be joining thousands of other NMC alumni who are business executives, government leaders, community advocates, and other professionals who are making a positive difference.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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