Graduating scholars reminded of their duty

The CNMI Scholarship Office congratulates all new graduates at the Northern Marianas College and in the U.S. mainland and wishes to remind all recipients who received scholarship assistance of their service obligation to the Commonwealth.

The incurred service obligation is generally “one-for-one” for every service-paid year of schooling. For every one year of study for which the scholar received support, s/he is expected to work for the Commonwealth for each year scholarship funds were received or risk repaying the amount received back to the government.

According to the regulations governing the CNMI Scholarship program, all recipients are required to return to the CNMI no later than three months after the completion of their degree program. In case scholars breach this contractual obligation, all financial assistance extended to the scholar shall be repaid in full or in monthly installments.

Ultimately, failure to serve the Commonwealth or not make monthly payments constitutes a breach of contractual obligations and places the scholar in default. Repayment and obligatory service may be deferred for those pursuing postgraduate degrees, upon a showing of good cause and supporting documents.

While the service obligation is attached to the scholarship as a means of “paying back,” the intent is to provide all scholarship recipients an opportunity to establish a sense of social responsibility for the Commonwealth. In agreeing to receive scholarship funding, all scholarship recipients entered into with a firm willingness to serve the island community.

Although the ultimate responsibility for seeking a job is the CNMI Scholarship recipient’s, the CNMI Scholarship Office staff is available to assist with and facilitate job placement for interested graduates. The office, in partnership with several public and private sector agencies, will work to place CNMI scholars in appropriate jobs. In the coming weeks, graduates will receive an itemization of total awards received, repayment instructions, a notice of job opportunities, and customized matching vacancies that is tailored to each scholar’s field of study.

In a dual effort to reverse the brain drain and build local workforce capacity in the CNMI, the CNMI Scholarship Office’s purpose has evolved and become twofold: to increase the number of students in college, and get them back to serving the Commonwealth.

The Placement Program was created in January 2012. One of the main objectives of this new program is to develop a network of partnerships and coordinate placement opportunities for graduates. To achieve this goal of preparing the waters of the NMI’s labor pool, the CNMI Scholarship Office seeks the commitment of its partners that scholarship recipients will be, upon successful completion of their studies, allocated in jobs contributing to their most efficient use in the economy and/or public administration. As such, the office is calling on all potential partners in the private and local workforce if they are interested in serving as placement sites. The office also advises all interested graduating scholars to visit or get in contact with the office for more information about repayment instructions and job placement opportunities. Email cnmieap@cnmischolarship.com for more information. (Office of the Governor)