Graduates in the workforce talk college with MHS students

At the first day of the Northern Marianas College’s Start Smart Seminar, members of the workforce took time out their busy schedules to meet face-to-face with seniors from Marianas High School on the difficulties, challenges, and opportunities of a college education.

The seminar will run for three days, with different schools featured each day.

Yesterday’s special guests included representative-elect Edwin Propst, Eulalia Villagomez from the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, Rosemond Santos from KKMP Radio, and other representatives from the Commonwealth Health Center, T Galleria, and other private and public establishments on island.

The guests rotated among the seminar tables to hear any questions the students had. Jesse Palacios, corporate director of the Northern Marianas Housing Corp., talked about the financial difficulties of attending college.

“Growing up we didn’t have money to pay for college. Going to NMC meant that tuition was cheaper,” he said. From NMC, he would later attend Washington State University, and Arizona State University to complete his bachelor’s degree.

He told students that the first two years of college don’t matter as much as the last two. The first two years, he said, is “feeling your way around.”

He reminded students about the willpower needed to get through the distractions of college.

“You are all by yourself. Your parents are not there to wake you up in the morning, or to tell you to do your homework. You have to be really responsible. You have a lot of freedom,” he said.

Why did he major in marketing? He said he did so to come back to Saipan to promote the island’s “bread and butter,” tourism.

Eulalia Villagomez, program officer of the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, spoke of her “one big challenge” in college, which was homesickness. She said she came from a big family, was never an outstanding student, but told students not to let what they are going through now determine their future.

“I really do believe in mind over matter. So I told them to take it day by day…eventually four years will pass and you’ll graduate. What you’re experiencing now doesn’t determine how your future will turn out,” she said.

Jonathan Liwag, who attended college in California, and now is NMC’s director of information technology, urged students to “explore all their options.”

“Once they find what they really like, they should focus on completing their degree or whatever they set out to accomplish. That’s the thing that will really help us in the CNMI,” he said.

Why NMC?

Jeremi Montenenjo and several other students said NMC would be even more of a viable and attractive option if it offers the courses they want.

Montenenjo wants to be an engineer. He said he might take two years at NMC before transferring to the University of Guam; either that, he said, or he would go the route of the military.

“If they had more [courses], I’m pretty sure more people would go there,” he said.

Sean Palma, another MHS senior, is “not really sure” what he’ll do after college. But after the seminar he hopes to go to a community college first to explore his options and save money.

“When I do transfer out to a university, I can have pocket money,” he said. He added that more courses at NMC would mean “more opportunities to learn other things.”

Before the seminar, Havika Mae Farro wasn’t sure where she was going. Now she gives NMC a “maybe.” Community college saves a lot of money, she said.

Maria Dizon wants to go to American University to study forensic science. She loves lab work, and would like to see “more support for science” at the college.