The University of the Philippines Mindanao will have its first-ever Summa Cum Laude graduate on June 21, and she’s a woman.
According to the UP’s official Facebook Page, 22-year-old Pete Maverick Nicole Estudillo, a Food Technology major, scored a cumulative weighted average grade of 1.1971, the highest ever recorded in the university since its establishment in 1995.
Estudillo told MindaNews that she really wasn’t expecting to graduate with the highest grade when she entered UP.
She was actually contented with just passing her subjects since she considered the UP College Admissions Test to be the hardest exam in the country.
It was only in the middle of her college journey when she realized she could actually graduate as a Magna Cum Laude, or even as a Summa Cum Laude.
But whether or not she graduated with honors, Estudillo said, that she was happy being able to learn much from her university.
In the Ad Hoc Committee’s press release, Estudillo said her victory wasn’t really for her, but for her university.
Estudillo, born and raised in Davao City, was also the valedictorian when she graduated high school at the International Christian School of Davao in 2014.
Aside from completely breaking the academic glass ceiling, Estudillo was also active in other endeavors. According to MindaNews, she was a member and officer of organizations such as the Rotary Club of UPMin, UPMin Koro Kantahanay, PSALM Ministry of UPMin, For the Unity and Solidarity of Every Student in UP (FUSE UP), and Let’s Do It Philippines Youth”•Davao.
On Friday, Estudillo will lead 352 graduating candidates at UPMin’s 22nd Commencement Exercises at the University Atrium, UP Mindanao Administration Building.