TWENTY-NINE students will receive their bachelor's degrees in business management from Northern Marianas College on Saturday at the MHS gym. The graduation ceremony starts at 4 p.m.
The students are:
- Kimberly Papua Ada
- Nazario Omar Ajoste
- Lorenza Cecile Aldan
- Sunny Frank Aldan
- Clarice D.L.G. Arriola
- Daisy L. Babauta
- John Balboa
- Kathleen Basa
- Jatanna P. Cabrera
- Reydamilla Calibo
- Christina D.L.G. Cruz
- Cassandra Deleon Guerrero
- Michele Gibson
- Jezza V. Guerrero
- Seong Bin Lee
- Polly D.L.G. Masga
- Simon Necesito
- Katherine T. Palacios
- Angelina Phillips
- Thomas Gregory Rabago
- Timothy Rabago
- Elizabeth Solito
- Francis Darrell Tomokane
- Roman M. Tudela
- Vince A. Tudela
- Alexandra Villagomez
- Manuel Villagomez
- Keisuke Yoshida
- Michitaka Yoshida
NMC introduced the bachelor's degree program in business management to help meet the workforce needs of the local business community.
Acting NMC president Frankie Eliptico said the program was based on recommendations from stakeholders and businesspersons as well as from students and alumni who wished to advance their studies in business.
'So we went to work immediately. The business department gathered all the data and support needed to submit a substantive-change request to our accrediting commission in California,' he said, adding that the approval process was not easy.
'After many long hours put in by our business department faculty and NMC administrators, the substantive-change request was quickly approved and a new bachelor's degree program was launched in the Fall of 2014.'
Four years later, he added, 'I cannot be any more elated to see the third cohort of business graduates about to receive their degrees. It is so gratifying to see that the bachelor's degrees business program has launched or advanced the careers of many of our students who are now contributing to the economic engine of our robust economy.'
Eliptico said many of the graduating students are already making their marks in local companies and agencies such as Docomo Pacific, Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Northern Marianas College, Imperial Pacific, Marianas Medical Center, Atkins Kroll Toyota, the Public School System, Hardt Eye Clinic, the Commonwealth Ports Authority and Hard Rock Caf'.
On Monday evening, the 29 business-management students held the third annual Sands of Time ceremony at Fiesta Resort & Spa.
'It is a ritual ceremony similar to that of the nursing program which has a candle-lighting and pinning ceremony ' Sands of Time is our own version of the ceremony,' said Cassandra Deleon Guerrero, one of the graduating students and the public relations officer of the NMC Business Club.
She said the pouring of sand symbolizes their final journey in education.
In his keynote address, NMC academic librarian Samuel Crawford encouraged the students to 'explore the simple concepts of kindness, compassion, and empathy within the context of business.'
He added, 'We should all strive to build or be contributor to that kind of business or organization ' to be that kind of employee, and to be that kind of supervisor, manager or owner ' to ensure that we train and empower all employees, regardless of rank, to be able to make critical, in-the-moment decisions in any and all matters of customers service, conflict resolution, and business transaction. Whether it is institutionally ingrained or pure instinct, a sincere attempt to reach out, to listen, and to truly understand another person or group's perspective or circumstance, will often guide you more than any degree or academic honor you ever receive.'
