(OCT. 3)—  The Pohang Iron and Steel Company TJ Park Foundation (POSCO-TJPF) granted scholarships to 15 deserving UP Diliman students in a ceremony at the UP Institute of Small Scale Industries (UP ISSI) on Oct. 1. 

Yearly, POSCO grants scholarships to 15 qualified students through its POSCO Asia Fellowship program. Scholars receive monetary support of $700 for one year or $350 per semester. The amount is given in its peso equivalent per semester. 

Of the 15, nine were new scholars and six were continuing for Academic Year (AY) 2018-2019. 

Present at the awarding ceremony were: Lorraine Gria S. Avena (BS Chemistry), Ivan Cenon V. Bernardo (BS Economics), Psyche Desiree E. Castillo (BS Architecture/BS Arch), Jehiel Angelina Mari C. Cea (BS Business Administration and Accountancy/BS BAA), Catherine Bernarde V. De Luna (B Sports Science), Iona Joelle G. Nagtalon (BA European Languages/ BA Euro Lang), Samantha Denise R. Piers (BS Psychology), Calvin A. Ponteblanca (BS Arch), Austin Kinn B. Rubin (BS Civil Engineering), Janron Joshua A. Surquia (BA Broadcast Communication) and Andrea Vanessa R. Villafania (BS BAA).

Completing the list are: Ma. Melissa Angelica C. De Vera (BA English Studies), Ashley T. Estrella (BS BAA), Katrina Joyce S. Jose (BA Euro Lang) and Paolo Raphael A. Piedad (BS Industrial Engineering).

President Hyeng Sik Choi of POSCO Philippine Manila Processing Center, Inc. (PMPC) and Prof. Jerwin F. Agpaoa, vice chancellor for student affairs, awarded the certificates of scholarship to the students. 

Agpaoa expressed his gratitude to POSCO TJPF. “We hope that our lucky recipients will realize the worth of the scholarship they are receiving not just in terms of what they can purchase materially but more importantly through the intangible results that it will bring,” he said.

Choi, on behalf of POSCO TJPF founder Tae-Joon Park, congratulated the scholars and said “whatever you achieve, it will take at least a decade. Spend a few restless nights and seriously draw up a blueprint looking 10 years ahead. The blueprint must come out first before the cornerstone be put in place.”

Speaking on behalf of their fellow scholars were Piers and Ponteblanca who thanked POSCO for their continuous support to UP students.  

To qualify for the POSCO scholarship, applicants must be undergraduate students with a general weighted average of 2.0 or better and must have carried a load of at least 15 units every semester. Students must not be enjoying any other scholarship at the time of the award.

Established in 2007, POSCO-TJF has been providing financial assistance to promising students in UP Diliman through their scholarship program for 11 years. POSCO has produced 59 graduates since AY 2007-2008, of whom 54 received Latin honors, comprising 12 summa cum laude, 29 magna cum laude and 13 cum laude.

Three of the eight POSCO scholars who graduated summa cum laude in 2018 were Jude Paolo V. Bognot (BS Business Economics), Diego Alberto B. Nepomuceno (BS Business Administration) and Qristin Jeuel F. Regalado (BS Psychology). 

Interested students may apply for the scholarship at the Office of Scholarships and Student Services. For inquiries, please call (02) 981-8500 local 4506.