Cris John Anthon Castillo, a 4th year Computer Engineering (CpE) student, was hailed champion during the 2023 Regional Institute of Computer Engineers of the Philippines and CpE Challenge for C++ programming competition last January 14, at the Avenue Plaza Hotel, Naga City, Camarines Sur. Castillo will not only represent CatSU, but the entire Bicol region as he advances in the National level of the CpE Challenge in Ilocos Norte this coming January 19, 2023. The CatSU-CEA victory marks the second time that CatSU has won the same title, and now a back-to-back feat. In the Academic Year 2021-2023, Ivan Nepomuceno, now a licensed Engineer, finished 5th in the National level of the CpE Challenge last year. The recently concluded regional event accommodated nineteen CatSU – CEA students, together with three professors who served as their coach. These students were tested in their skills in Bread Boarding Competition, Quiz Bowl, Pitching Competition and Programming in C, C++, Python, and Java. #CVecillesPhoto Credits: The Cornerstone
Two students from the College of Science (COS) landed the 3rd and 4th place during the 26th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) Regional Championship in Legazpi City on November 14, 2022.Hershane C. Lizaso (3rd placer) and Junmar T. Socao (4th placer) are students taking up Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (BSMath). During the PSQ Provincial Elimination, Socao was awarded champion while Lizaso got the 1st runner up. Another student from COS, Kenneth Cole Sermonia also attended the said content. Prof. Moreno D. Tabiors, Jr. served as the coach of the trio. The PSQ is a nationwide annual contest designed to test the knowledge of statistics of first year students enrolled in colleges and universities in the 17 regions of the country. It also identifies and nurture talents especially in the field of statistics. It aims to contribute to the advocacy in the use of Statistics for evidence-based decision-making. #FJBT
Catanduanes State University in collaboration with Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes Inc. (ARDCI) Corporation created a Community Pantry with a particular goal in mind; to help alleviate the food insecurity that students are currently facing specifically at this time when the final exams are coming up in the university.The project called Student Pantry, is an offshoot of a fund-raising activity that was held last month by ARDCI Microfinancing Inc. and its corporate organization, headed by Dr. Ma. Cecilia L. Zantua, Managing Director of ARDCI Foundation.According to Dr. Zantua, the project is envisioned to help the students especially upon learning that most often than not, they would sacrifice to skip meals just to save their allowance for some other school’s needs. She further said that this this project is not just a project to help people in need but also a project of honesty and kindness.“It is a test of kindness as we look for people who can give what they can, and Honesty – for students to get only what they need, and to think about the rest too who like them are also in need. It is a challenge to the heart”, Dr. Zantua said.Ms. Karie Ann V. Santos, Project Manager shared that the general mechanism is like that of the community pantry during the pandemic with those students included in the low-income families as target beneficiaries.“We encourage the students to avail of the program, they can get from here some of their basic daily needs like canned goods, biscuits, and the like. Also we encourage other students, employees, faculty, friends and acquaintances with generous hearts to share your blessing here at the CatSU Student Pantry. We can’t do this alone; we’ll also need help from our community members so we can help our future professionals to be successful by simply providing some of their basic needs”, Ms. Santos said.Meanwhile, Dr. Aida A. Dianela, one of ARDCI’s consultants, and a former CatSU Director of Student Affairs of CatSU, and also a member of the CatSU Board of Regents, was happy to share about the Student Pantry.“We are here to help those who are so disenfranchised in life and I see that the happiness, the love, the caring is so great, it is at its maximum height”, Dr. Dianela gladly shared.Dr. Dianela, in closing, enjoined everyone from CATSU to share, especially those who may already have extras, to help in sharing to those who have little or less in life.“What’s important is we help make people’s lives light, lighter, happier and more meaningful by what we have done. Let us always remember that it is really not what we give that matters, but it is what we share because a gift without the giver is bare”, Dr. Dianela said. The pantry, located at the pavilion of the former Office of Student Support Services, is open from 8AM−6PM, Mondays through Saturdays. All students are welcome to use the pantry once a week, and only need their student ID to gain access to its multitude of free resources — including canned goods, hygiene products, biscuits and more. #CVecilles
The Catanduanes State University (CatSU) held its 49th commencement exercises, this time apart from the usual ceremonies every year due to the Covid-19 scare. Preceded by a Holy Mass in the morning at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the activity was done through virtual mode in the afternoon at the CatSU main campus, on August 17, 2020 with the theme, “Sustaining Excellence Amidst the Challenges of the New Normal.” There were 751 who graduated during the AY 2019-2020 where 66 of them came from the University’s Panganiban Campus. Officer –in-Charge President and CHED RO-V Regional Director, Dr. Freddie T. Bernal, led this year’s commencement exercises, together with the different Deans, other school officials, and the faculty. This year’s commencement speaker was Dr. Aldrin A. Darilag, Commissioner in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Chairman of the CatSU Board of Regents. Dr. Bernal, the University OIC President congratulated this year’s batch of graduates as he exhorted them “to pursue one’s dream, no matter what setbacks may come.” He noted the difficult times that the graduates have come through with the onset of Corona virus pandemic. “All of a sudden, our lives have become perplexing, unusual and uncertain, as we try to gather a sense of normalcy amidst the new normal. As recession, unemployment and health crisis beset our country today and the rest of the world, may you have every reason to earn a decent living commensurate to what you have attained, and be among the conscientious citizens as a nation,” OIC President Bernal said in his message to the graduates. Meanwhile, Commissioner Darilag expressed his appreciations to the graduates and challenged them to use their education to work for the nation. “You are fortunate to have been given the opportunity to earn your respective college degrees, at a time that the pandemic has significantly hit our education sector—that is, according to the UNESCO Covid-19 Educational Disruption and Response Task Force through its Global Monitoring Report on School Closures, more than 3.5 million Filipino college students have been affected by the pandemic,” Comm. Darilag said. “Your experiences and your perspectives,” said Comm. Darilag, “will shed light on the university’s pursuit to better understand how the challenges in the new normal can be addressed; and we invite you to continue your commitment to the values and truths of the university, that is, to sustain excellence not only to yourselves but for the advancement of Catanduanes and of the entire country.”
The Catanduanes State University (CatSU) Federated College Student Council (FCSC) did not take it sitting down during new normal times. Aside from attending to their various schedules in the online learning, they found it worthy to look the other way for other humanitarian causes to their fellow students especially those living in the distressed areas of the province.Mr. Renz Mickenly Tanael, FCSC Vice-President, disclosed that the student body pooled resources and conducted donation drive to CatSU students in the different barangays in Bato, and those who are temporarily residing as boarders in Virac. The body distributed some 105 pcs of hygiene kits on September 4, 2020 with fellow officers as well from Student Body Organizations (SBOs) in the different Colleges.
