Sen. Madrigal to Grace BSU Graduation Rites
by Grace T. Bengwayan

       Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo"Jamby" A.S. Madrigal will be the guest of honor and speaker during the 80th Commencement Exercises of the Benguet State University on April 15, 2005.

     She will be speaking before the graduates of the College of Nursing (CN), College of Home Economics and Technology (CHET), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Teacher Education (CTE). Sen. Madrigal chairs two committees in Senate: the Senate Committee on Women, Children and Family Relations and the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities.

     As in the previous years, there will be two batches of graduates on April 15, 2005, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Sen. Madrigal will speak before the morning batch. The afternoon graduation rites will be for graduates from the Graduate School, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), College of Agriculture (CA), College of Forestry (CF), and the College of Engineering and Applied Technology (CEAT).

     Based on records at the Registrar's Office, a total of 1,250 are expected to graduate. These include graduates in the eight colleges and the graduate school. There are also three graduates under the Mountain Engineering course. The course is a consortium between the Benguet State University (BSU), Saint Louis University (SLU) and the University of the Cordilleras.

     Out of the tertiary level graduates, 43 are Cum Laude, most of which come from the College of Teacher Education. According to the University Registrar's office, the number of honor students this year has increased by more than 100%. There were 19 Cum Laude last school year. According to BSU President Rogelio D. Colting, the increase may be attributed to strengthened library and ICT services and other student services, and competitive teachers.

    A percentage of the graduates are government and private sector scholars, majority are under the CHED-STUFAP, DILG, and University grantees. Other scholarships are from the DOST, LEAP-IBM, SEGEAP, SYNGENTA, San Isidro de Labrador, Fil-Am Aggies Association of California, PARRFI, Abong, and the Igorot Global Organization (IGO).