USM holds DRRM Course for students and employees
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USM 64th Recognition Program: BGen Babac as Guest Speaker, inspires 3, 209 Academic Scholars
March 13, 2024
Mathematics is unexciting and difficult for others, but not for Manuel A. Lisondra. About 6 years ago, a high school student, Manuel A. Lisondra, a resident of Cotabato City, would never forget the moment when he questioned himself, “Ano kaya sa feeling kung Math lahat ng subjects sa isang araw?” Well, a high school student with a strong appreciation for Math would keep this a mere challenge.
After a series of his life events and some redirections, his wish to have all Mathematics subjects was ‘a wish granted’. During the first semester of 2023-2024, he assessed all his subjects and got a 1.00 General Weighted Average.
“…wish granted ako dahil lahat ng anim na subjects ko last sem, lahat ‘yon puro Math. It’s like I won a lottery. Yes! Ito na ‘yon. Nandito na ako. I promised myself to make every day of my stay a worthwhile experience.”
Lisondra, a 3rd year Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics student, ranked first among the 3,209 academic scholars due to his outstanding 1.00 General Weighted Average (GWA) for the First Semester of the Academic Year 2023-2024 and 1.147 GWA for the Second Semester of the Academic Year 2022-2023 of USM Main Campus and PALMA Campuses.
Being motivated and enthusiastic to go to school, he was always excited about new concepts in Math he would learn for the day and generally is excited to experience a dream come true.
With his core framing his hobbies, there are times when during the middle of a lecture, every sound faded out like in the movies. It was as if he was just there sitting, observing, looking at his classmates and his professors. He was so amazed of the idea that this is reality. He found himself grateful that he was living this kind of academic life.
He considers that “because of the daunting challenges and burnouts of being a student, we have this desire for time to hasten its pace, na sana uwian na, na sana tapos na si sir/maam magturo, or even to wish that the semester ends already. It’s natural to feel this way. Yet, I believe having this mindset poses an obstacle.”
He thinks that students who, at some point, have this mindset tend to forget to live the experience of being here at USM. “Don’t get me wrong, living the experience does not always mean succumbing to a reckless YOLO (You Only Live Once) mentality. Rather, I define to live the experience as to reflect on the small things, on the small details, despite the overwhelming bigger picture in front of us.”
On the page of academic struggles, he wants students to realize that this is the life they once dreamt before, the life they wanted during their younger years, and the moment that should be seized as they achieved it. However, he poses that not all journeys are comparable to smooth silk roads.
Aside from his love for calculations, he is also a book lover; he finds the book ‘Angels and Demons’ by Dan Brow influential and helped him realize how narratives can be malleable, subject to manipulation by those in power. It emphasizes the importance of delving deeper and seeking the truth, the accurate science, amidst fabricated accounts.“I am grateful that all our roads end here at USM, an institution that provides quality education like no other, providing unparalleled opportunities for academic excellence.” He ended.
