BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
BATAC CITY (November 17)—The Ilocos Norte-based Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has established the United Kingdom Chapter of its Global Alumni Network in its commitment to strengthening ties with the university’s alumni abroad.
On November 5, 2022, no other than MMSU President Shirley Agrupis who led the launching of the alumni chapter held at the Hotel London Ibis Stratford in London, United Kingdom (UK).
Agrupis said MMSU graduate professionals in the European country joined the network’s soft launching via in-person and online for the said alumni chapter which aims to create a fortified network that will help bring the university’s name in the global setting.
She said the chapter also aims to conduct programs and projects that foster the welfare of the members, their families, and the academic community.
Agrupis welcomed the attendees in this first-ever alumni meeting in the UK and “hope that through this alumni chapter, we can work together, cultivate networks, and build on each other’s accomplishments.”
Gwyneth Quidang, MMSU Federated Alumni Association president, said they are hoping that the chapter will provide sustainable and lifelong collaboration and active partnership between the university and its alumni, in support of MMSU’s thrusts and strategic goals.
The attendees of the London soft launching welcomed this move by MMSU to establish the alumni network in the UK such as Prince Alpha Demandante, a graduate of BS Nursing in 2013 and MA Nursing in 2018; and Salome Fallah-Williams, a secondary education graduate of batch 2010.
Demandante, who has been living in the UK the last three years, works as urgent clinical flow coordinator of the Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust in Portsmouth, Hampshire shared her expertise and inputs to help advance the university’s internationalization efforts.
Falla-Williams has been in the UK for 12 years now and currently works as an administrator of Practical Tools Initiative Ltd, England and Wales. Learning that there are many MMSU graduates in the UK, she said collaboration with one another for a shared goal is now more possible.
According to MMS alumni relations chief Krismary Sharmaine Yapo, the first alumni network was launched in Canada in April and the UK-based alumni chapter is the second global alumni network formed this year.
MMSU information officer Daniel Tapaoan Jr. said part of the UK mission visit of Dr. Agrupis is the launching of the UK Chapter together with Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, director for internationalization, linkages and partnerships; and Dr. Saturnina Nisperos, director for futures thinking and strategic foresight.
He said the visit is about transnational education partnership in Information Technology under the Access and Competitiveness through Internationalization of Higher Education project of the British Council of the Philippines led by British Council Director Lotus Postrado, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) led Chairman J. Prospero De Vera 3rd.
Earlier, Tapaoan said MMSU has forged partnerships with the University of East London and Liverpool Hope University in the UK.