By Scheria Mae Taton, ECE-4
The Guest Speakers with the College of Engineering Dean, Faculty Members, and freshmen students.
Gathered under the banner of academic curiosity and shared aspirations, Central Philippine University College of Engineering conducted a Special Convocation with the theme “If I Were An Engineering Student Again” last November 20, 2023, at the Educational Media Center. The event was organized by the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EE/ECE) Departments, and hosted by Mr. Fredric Mitch Biso, a third year ECE student. It was an insightful convocation where the speakers shared their own educational journey, the lessons learned, and the advices they would offer to the new generation of engineering students.
The first guest speaker was Engr. Marlo Arturo Ga, a distinguished alumnus of the Electronics Engineering (ECE) Department of Batch 2002, a Founder, President, and Managing Director of Airnav Technology Services, Inc. Embodying the spirit of innovation and resilience instilled by the university and his commitment to excellence and continuous learning, Engr. Ga has carved an exemplary path since his graduation. He shared about his experiences as an engineering student and talked about how he managed to become a Founder, President, and Managing Director in his company. One of the remarkable words in his speech was that “striving is always greater than the absolute best” and highlighted the essence of success and growth.
The second guest speaker was Engr. Fredelino Fortaleza Jr., an Electrical Engineering (EE) graduate of Batch 2006, and has since evolved as the President and CEO of Engineering Systems and Applications Construction Company. Engr. Fortaleza shared his knowledge and learning experiences as an engineering student and mentioned his “what ifs”, if he will be an engineering student again. We had the privilege of gaining insights from a mind that has not only successfully navigated the challenges of his profession but has also charted a course for others to follow.
The event included an interactive open forum session for the guests and students where the students were given the opportunity to ask further questions to our guest speakers. It provided also an opportunity for the Software Engineering (SE) students to present their startup, the UniHUB Application; the ultimate marketplace for students. The speakers, Mr. Jed Matthew Mamosto together with Mr. Teddie John Rajeev, explained how this application was created and how it will benefit the students of the College of Engineering.
The event was a success. It has accomplished its goal of encouraging freshmen students to follow their chosen paths.