UP Diliman (UPD), through the Office of Scholarship and Grants (OSG), facilitated a Deed of Donation and Acceptance (DODA) for the establishment of the Jonathan M. Sterling Scholarship Fund.
The Jonathan M. Sterling Scholarship Fund aims to provide financial assistance to deserving but financially challenged undergraduate students from their first year until the completion of their four-year degree program. The scholarship will be implemented beginning Academic Year 2026-2027 and is projected to benefit a total of 89 scholars throughout the fund’s duration.
A British national, Sterling is a software developer and currently resides in the Philippines with his partner Celeste Cortesi. Sterling has demonstrated philanthropic initiatives through several scholarship programs, believing that education is a potent means of opportunity and social mobility.
“They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is today. I think giving the gift of education is the same as planting a tree. They’re not going to become titans of industry in a year or two, but 20 years from today, they’re going to be the leaders of industry, the leaders of the country,” Sterling said.
For his part, UPD Chancellor Edgardo L. Vistan II thanked Sterling for the very generous and significant scholarship donation to UPD. “This is a very substantial donation and contribution to the future of our Filipino youth and the students of this university.”
Qualifications for the scholarship are as follows: must be an UPCAT passer; must be a bonafide freshman student of UPD enrolled in any four-year undergraduate degree program; a family gross income of not more than PHP700,000 per annum; must not be a beneficiary of any other scholarship or educations grants; and must not have been the subject of any disciplinary action worse than a five-day suspension.
According to the DODA, the scholarship shall continue every semester for a maximum of eight regular semesters and one mid-year term, provided the scholar satisfies the following conditions: must obtained an average grade of 2.5 or better for a load of at least 12 units but not more than 18 units, consistent with the degree program’s plan of study; with no grade of 5; any grade of 4 or incomplete must be removed or completed on or before the last day of registration for the following semester; and must not have been found guilty of any disciplinary action by the Office of Student Ethics.
The DODA was signed on Feb. 25 at the Quezon Hall by Vistan and Sterling. OSG Director Christine C. Hernandez and Myrna Verecio, project manager of the Jonathan M. Sterling Scholarship Fund, served as witnesses. Also in attendance was UPD Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jose Carlo G. de Pano.