Henry Sy and family to honor SM scholars

MANILA, Philippines - A very proud benefactor, Henry Sr., together with his wife Felicidad and their children, will honor the 222 graduates enrolled under the SM Foundation scholarship program with a testimonial dinner to be held at the SMX Convention Center on May 28 at 3 p.m.

SM Foundation’s 18th batch of graduates produced 6 summa cum laude graduates: Christian Acosta, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, National University; Cesar G. Castillo, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Far Eastern University; Jamaica P. Englis, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, University of San Carlos; Samantha Joyce G. Mabalot, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Far Eastern University; Kenneth Pangilinan, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Holy Angel University, and Cedrick S. Zapanta, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Asia Pacific College.

The batch also produced 19 magna cum laude graduates, 29 cum laude graduates and 16 who graduated with academic distinction. Most of the scholars pursued courses in Accountancy, Engineering, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Information Technology and other computer-related courses; others pursued Education courses major in English and Mathematics.

Before the dinner, a short program will be presented with parents and students who will deliver their true-to-life testimonials on how the scholarship had changed the course of their lives. This year’s guest speaker is Richard Joshua Sainz, CEO and president, Asia Food Corp. Sainz is expected to inspire the graduates with his own story of the Bibingkinitan’s success in the food industry.

The traditional dinner tendered in their honor will bring all the scholars to Manila, especially those from Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao and Bicol. The Foundation will bankroll their transportation to Manila including a week-end stay in a hotel near the SMX Convention Center where rehearsals will be held for their presentation program. In the morning of the presentation day, human resource heads of all SM companies will give job placement interviews for possible employment. It is expected that many of these scholars will be hired directly although many of them, especially graduates of Accountancy and Engineering will forego employment to review for board examinations. Still others opt to work in other companies.

SM Foundation which started its scholarship program in 1993 supports 1,300 scholars per year although the number will greatly increase as a big number of scholars from Leyte, Samar and from other calamity- affected provinces in the Visayas have been adopted by the Foundation. Aside from these Foundation scholars, there are scholars adopted by friends and companies associated with SM and still others have been adopted by the SY children. Some civic-minded Leytenos based here and abroad have likewise signified their desire to adopt indigent but bright students from Leyte as their personal scholars. SM Foundation will manage the program for them, monitoring performances of these students as they hurdle their four or five-year course of their choice.