Devcom grads with inset of honor students (clockwise): Fr. GG, Lilay, and Don
Devcom grads with inset of honor students (clockwise): Fr. GG, Lilay, and Don

FOR TWO YEARS in a row, a graduate student of the program, Diploma in Research and Development Management (DRDM) tops the graduating class, while graduate students of the program, Master in Development Communication continue to dominate the honors list.

Susan Eleanor Claro of DRDM is the valedictorian for the UPOU’s graduating class of 2007. She works as a technical and management adviser and country representative for Health Unlimited (HU), a UK-based NGO in Laos. Her work involves managing and developing the HU Laos country programme and liaising with government authorities, counterparts, and development aid donors.

Last year’s valedictorian, Niño Ismael Sanchez Pastor of the Department of Health (DoH), was also from DRDM.

Meanwhile, Devcom’s Leslie Ann V. Jose and Salesian Father Gerard Ravasco join Claro in the Chancellor’s list. Leslie, or “Lilay” to her classmates, is a public relations officer at Orendain and Associates and an alumna of UP Diliman, while Father Gerard or “Fr. GG” as he is fondly called, is a Catholic priest belonging to the Salesians of Don Bosco working in Cambodia and doing development work through vocational-technical and basic education of the young wherever they are.

Completing the list of honor grads are Dean’s listers Rosario V. Tatlonghari and Zandro G. Rapadas, both still of Devcom, Jerrick D. Navarro of DRDM, and Ricardo B. Dimayuga of the program, Master of Hospital Administration.

Rapadas is among the moderators of the University’s unofficial online forum, “UPOU Kapehan” (www.upou.kapehan.net), and editor of the UPOU Student and Alumni e-Publication, “Kape at Dyaryo ng OU” (www.dyaryo.kapehan.net).

Devcom dominates this year’s honors list, with four of seven honorees belonging to the program, thereby continuing its feat from last year’s honor roll (2006), with 12 out of 29 honor grads, one Devcom student making it to the Chancellor’s list and 11 others to the Dean’s list.

Chancellor’s list awardees are those with GWA of 1.00-1.14, and Dean’s List awardees are those with GWA of 1.15-1.24.

The UPOU Batch 2007 consists of 134 graduates, with the following breakdown: Associate in Arts (3); Diploma in Mathematics Teaching (6); Diploma in Science Teaching (3); Diploma in Social Studies Education (1); Diploma in Language Studies for Teachers (12); Master of Arts in Education-Social Studies (1); Doctor of Philosophy (2); Diploma in Computer Science (3); Master of Information Systems (16); Master of Development Communication (33); Diploma in Research and Development Management (18); Diploma in Environment and Natural Resources Management (18); Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management (4); Master of Public Management (9); Master of Hospital Administration (3); and Master in Social Work (2).