The Philippine American Foundation for Charities - with support from the Philippine Embassy and George Washington University’s Philippine Cultural Society - hosted its first Philippine Graduation Showcase to recognize graduating Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the D.C. metropolitan area at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate level. The event was held on Saturday, May 12th from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm ET at the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University.
The purpose of Philippine Graduation Showcase is to celebrate this important educational milestone – oftentimes achieved for the first time within their families - and to connect graduates with the greater Filipino and Filipino American community and additional opportunities that await them after graduation. Remarks were given by the U.S Ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Jose Romualdez and Gem Daus, Professor of Filipino American History & Biography at the University of Maryland, College Park. Additional community leaders included Jason Tengco, Executive Director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Christal Ann Simanski, President of the Filipino Young Professionals DC, and Mencie Hairston, Founder of Mabuhay, Inc and the Highbridge Foundation.
Thirty graduates - twelve high school, seventeen undergraduate, and one graduate student - from the Greater Washington D.C metropolitan area were recognized at the event. Each graduate received a commemorative Philippine flag graduation stole and certificate.
A total of 167 people were in attendance.
We wish our inaugural class of graduates the best of luck in their future endeavors. The graduates are as follows:
High School Graduates
Eliza Buan, Bowie High School (Bowie, MD)
Hope Cajayon, Forest Park Senior High School (Woodbridge, VA)
Ronald John Devanadera, Rockville High School (Rockville, MD)
Jonathan Francis Epp, George C. Marshall High School (Falls Church, VA)
Nica Florentino, Bishop McNamara High School (Forestville, MD)
Edrian Mendoza, Rockville High School (Rockville, MD)
Andre Giolo Roales, Walter Johnson High School (Bethesda, MD)
Jan Mikell Saligumba, Albert Einstein High School (Kensington, MD)
Mya Nicole Spivey, St. Vincent Pallotti High School (Laurel, MD)
Isaiah Strawberry ,Thomas Stone High School (Waldorf, MD)
Simon Talusan , Benjamin Banneker Academic High School (Washington, DC)
Teresa Marie Torres, Northwood High School (Silver Spring, MD)
College Graduates
Jonathan Alcazar
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Public Health Science
Andrea Dauz
University of Maryland School of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Angelalucy Devanadera
The Catholic University of America
Bachelor of Science in Social Work
Gabrielle Dy-Cok
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
Gabrielle Enguillado
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Sustainability Minor
Global Poverty Minor
Ara Venice Flores
University of Maryland Baltimore
Master of Science in Nursing Informatics
Audrey Viel Flores
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
Danica Garcia
Towson University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Paola Kessel
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health
Ingrid Lim
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Asian American Studies Minor
Theresa Pasag, University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Asian American Studies Minor
Technology Entrepreneurship Minor
Michael Ramirez
George Washington University
Bachelor of Accountancy
Applied Ethics Minor
Khalil Rasul
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
Junelle Rivera
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Andrae Guila Roales
University of Maryland University College
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Gabriel Vallangca
University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Asian American Studies Minor