Two recipients of the PACES STEMS70 scholarship program recently fulfilled their cherished dreams of getting a college degree, somewhat delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They are: Mr. Kenneth Dave B. Borja, who obtained a B.S. Metallurgical Engineering degree from Mindanao State University (MSU-IIT) in Iligan City and Ms. Cathrine M. Madlangbayan, who graduated with a B.S. Civil Engineering degree from Batangas State University in Batangas City.
In the meantime, a third scholar, Ms. Koleen L. Bacud, is nearing graduation, which has also been delayed by the coronavirus. Ms Bacud hopes to receive her diploma in B.S. Civil Engineering from the Cagayan State University in Tuguegarao by early 2021.
Kenneth Dave B. Borja received Dean’s List honors in college and was a consistent honor student from his elementary years. At MSU-IIT, he worked as a Student Peer Facilitator in the school’s Guidance and Counselling Center, at the same time being active as a youth Cluster head in Youth for Christ and President of the organization of student peer facilitators in MSU-IIT. He wrote that he was driven to be a great servant, leader and engineer.
Kenneth is the eldest of three children of Ranilo C. Borja Sr. and Elsa B. Borja. Kenneth’s school conducted on online tribute to graduates in lieu of a graduation ceremony. This can be viewed online on YouTube. Kenneth appears at 38:24 minutes of the YouTube video.
Cathrine M. Madlangbayan, who hails from Ibaan, Batangas, was on the Dean’s List, and garnered honors in elementary and high school.
She was a student leader in high school and quite active in college extracurricular activities. Cathrine is the youngest of three siblings of Asuncion M. Madlangbayan and the late Cirilo P. Madlangbayan.
After graduation, she wants to tackle the engineering licensure examination, work and continue studying.
Koleen L. Bacud is completing some school projects in her final semester of B.S. Civil Engineering at Cagayan State University. These projects were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and strong typhoons that ravaged the Cagayan Valley in the Philippines.
Like the other scholars, Koleen has been on the Dean’s List. She used to work in the school’s Guidance Office before she was accepted into the STEMS70 program of PACES.
Kenneth, Cathrine and Koleen are part of the first batch of students who were awarded STEMS70 scholarships in 2017. They had to overcome many challenges in their personal lives to reach this far. All three are now reviewing for their respective government licensure examinations to become full-fledged engineers.
PACES is proud and happy to have been a part of their stories.
The STEMS70 scholarship provided each of the scholars with a monthly living allowance, tuition and school fees, as well as book, uniform, and other allowances. PACES is assisted in administering the scholarships in the Philippines by ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor), an organization that provides programs and projects for the needy. As part of scholarship administration, all scholars received values formation training from ANCOP.
The first STEMS70 scholar, Jhun Michael Garcia Aballa, graduated in 2019. Read his story here.
For those interested, an abridged pdf version of the latest Scholarship Committee Report can be downloaded here.
PACES SCHOLARS IN ACTION
Kenneth Borja (in red T-shirt) participating in a youth charity mission in Lanao del Sur last November 2019 
Cathrine Madlangbayan, the future civil engineer, with a surveying instrument.
