Asian Wisconzine Section/Heidi M. Pascual
Graduation: A Personal Flashback
High School Graduation. It was one of the most memorable and happiest days of my life. I was 16 years old then, and wore a simple yet beautiful white dress, just like all the other female graduating seniors of Pedro Guevara Memorial High School. I remember vividly how proud and happy were my mother and aunt Onor — my special guests in the audience — because they were scheduled to assist the principal onstage in presenting several medals to me, for being one of the top five students with highest honors (out of more than 600), the “Best” in a number of school competitions, and the “Student Who Brought the Most Honors to the School.” It was truly a fulfilling moment to me because I knew very well that all my achievements in school resulted from hard work, dedication, and a lot of sacrifice.
I belonged to a poor family of a single mom with five children, and being the eldest, I wanted to make myself a living example of a sibling who did well in school despite our lack of basic life necessities, and focused on getting ahead to succeed with the plan to help my mom raise my younger siblings, particularly in their education.
I was fortunate enough to win a national four-year college scholarship competition right after high school at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos, Laguna. This blessing actually fit my mother’s acceptance of a teaching job in the U.S., for the “greener pasture” the opportunity abroad offered. Before she left, my mom instructed me to get all basic college courses for the first two years. She planned to petition for me around that time, to be followed by my younger siblings who were left in the care of relatives.
My first year in college was amazingly fulfilling. I was on the Dean’s List, and was named “University Scholar” for two semesters. I became popular, and for the first time, I felt like a celebrity entertaining suitors, including young college instructors! That experience of not having my mother around took a toll on me. At 18, I thought I had fallen in love with a graduating college senior, who refused to leave me behind after his graduation. I eloped with the man who — within several years of our marriage — became the father of my three children.
I broke my mother’s heart. All her plans for me following her in the States came to naught. She ended up petitioning for my younger siblings —all four of them — who all graduated in the U.S. later on and became professionals therein through their own merit.
I stopped schooling for five years while raising my kids. It was not a life of comfort, and the financial difficulties as well as dealing with a tradition of extended families made me think of going back to school to start building a career of my own. I just wanted to perhaps change the role being assigned to me by a domineering husband and a meddling mother-in-law in the house.
So I went back to school despite the opposition of my husband. I found out that my brain was still working well because I managed to land in the Dean’s List after a semester. Two years after my college enrollment as a returning student, I graduated cum laude with a degree in Mass Communication at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, the primer educational institution in our country. But my husband was not present in my graduation. I felt that my mother was there celebrating with me, though.
Having a college degree was indeed the key I found to start my career in communications. Having a “cum laude” description in my diploma, however, made a big difference in searching for a job and landing in one. Employers — including the government — offered me jobs!!! When I accepted a “Supervising Information Officer” position in government, the head even asked me how much salary I wanted to have!!!
I transferred to the newly formed legislative assembly after a year, where I became editor and later, division chief of publications. Because of good work performance, I kept my job at the legislature, despite changes in government leadership, including the takeover of Corazon Aquino after the ouster of then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. I also managed to gain a master’s degree several years thereafter.
I can write a book about my work experiences and achievements after graduating from college. However, I guess the real happiness and pride would only come from my mom, my kids, and my seven grandchildren!!
I can only say that education … and eventually graduation, was the key that opened the door for me to success in my chosen career.