The Philippine-Austrian Cultural and Education Society (PACES) has awarded university scholarships for the academic year 2021-2022 to four deserving students from the Philippines. The new STEMS75 scholars selected for the academic year 2021-2022 are:
- Mr. John Paul Dave Sarte Ebit, B.S. Information Technology at the Rizal Technological University, Mandaluyong;
- Ms. Leason Noble Fernandez, Bachelor of Industrial Technology at the Batangas State University;
- Ms. Aiven Ocampo Monterde, B.S. Civil Engineering at the Rizal Technological University, Pasig; and
- Mr. Harold Magat Salenga, B.S. Computer Science at the University of Makati
All four awardees have exceled in their high school and university studies, garnering a number of academic distinctions.
The STEMS75 scholarships support academically outstanding and financially deserving Filipinos taking up undergraduate courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs in Philippine state universities and colleges. Each scholarship provides for the actual cost of school fees; an allowance for prescribed text books, school supplies and required school uniforms as an outright grant of PHP 10,000 per calendar year; a monthly living allowance of PHP 6,000 per month; and values and spiritual formation seminars conducted by the local program partner.
Recipients of the STEMS75 scholarships will have to work in the Philippines after their graduation for a period of one year for every year of financial support received.
The STEMS75 scholarship program was launched in 2021, in the year that marked 75 years of diplomatic cooperation between Austria and the Philippines. It follows the successful STEMS70 scholarships that saw four scholars graduate with B.S. degrees in the years 2019 and 2020.
CFC ANCOP Global Foundation will provide local administration in the Philippines of the scholarships funded by PACES. CFC ANCOP will also shoulder the cost of organizing and delivering regular values formation programs for the scholars.including direct supervision of each scholar by designated ANCOP teams in each scholar’s locality.
The partnership between PACES and CFC ANCOP started in 2017 and has already successfully graduated four scholars. Both organizations recently renewed their partnership agreement to continue supporting the STEMS75 scholarships.
CFC ANCOP is a non-profit organization founded by the Catholic family renewal community, Couples for Christ (CFC) for the purpose of consolidating the efforts of CFC chapters and other partners in Building the Church of the Poor through educational scholarships, community development, and calamity and disaster response.
— by Dr. Efren Abaya
