SEEKING TO “LEVEL up” the graduating class of 2024, the College of Arts and Sciences’ (CAS) Guidance and Counseling Office (GCO) relaunched the traditional Career Orientation Program with this year’s theme of “Ganyan Kami Noon, Eto Na Kami Ngayon” at the Jonathan Sy Auditorium last May 29.
The program was spearheaded by three speakers who graduated from San Beda University (SBU) in different programs: Ms. Joan Macrise Corrado from the Department of International Business and Entrepreneurial Management; Dr. Kenneth Conrad A. Matias, PhD, from the Department of Financial Management; and Atty. Camille D. Recalde, CPA, from the Department of Accountancy and Business.
When sharing their experiences, Ms. Corrado highlighted a line from the famed Richard M. Nixon that said, “A man is not finished when he is defeated, he is finished when he quits.” She then relates the line to her hardships before achieving her current position as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) II passer and acting Director for Public and Media Affairs in the office of public and cultural diplomacy at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
For Dr. Matias’ part, who was originally from the Department of Legal management then shifted to the field of medicine, he expressed the uncertainties of what lies ahead, saying “what we plan for ourselves isn’t always what life has planned for us.” He now works as a Medical Officer III in the Philippine Orthopedic Center.
Atty. Recalde, on the other hand, gave her insightful tips and strategies for those aspiring to enter San Beda University’s (SBU) College of Law (COL)—which she coined as “My ABCs to Success.”
Further into the event, an open forum took place wherein graduating students were given a chance to raise their questions to the three panelists.
Ms. Lorena M. Galang, RGC, Guidance Counselor, and Ms. Graciella Fe Tamang, activity chairperson and Guidance Facilitator, both expressed their “amusement” given how the event turned out to be “interactive” for the graduating seniors.
“The way na nag participate sila, at nagstay sila, tapos ‘yung mga questions tuloy-tuloy, for me successful ang event, tsaka walang major problem,” said Ms. Galang, who eagerly expressed how the flow of the event was orderly.
Subsequently Ms. Tamang shared a final parting message to the graduating class of 2024, saying “ang advice ko, it’s okay to fail sa simula, but then as they progress naman, dun din nila malalaman kung ano talaga ‘yung calling nila.”
“Basta kami, very proud kami sa seniors kasi alam namin ‘yung mga hirap nila from the start,” Ms. Tamag added, emphasizing how the speakers themselves were all “pandemic babies” who continued their college journey during the COVID-19 surge.