The Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) conferred degrees to 362 graduates during the 56th Commencement Ceremony 1st Semester Graduation on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the University Gymnasium.
Out of these 362 graduates, 33 were lauded with Cum Laude honors and 7 with Magna Cum Laude honors, led by the Class Valedictorian, Jenny O. Miranda, Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, majoring in Applied Ethics, who achieved a remarkable grade point average of 1.27273. Beyond academic distinctions, 5 candidates received Extracurricular Awards, while 16 were honored with Sustainable Future Research Awards.
The ceremony was graced by keynote speaker Prof. Jonald Lozarito Pimentel, Ph.D., 8th President of the University of Southern Mindanao, whose message urged graduates to “contribute to family and to society, not just through success but through integrity, compassion, and service.”
Dr. Pimentel shared three key lessons in his speech: to honor God’s timeline, not to fear hardships, and never to lose their humanity. He further reminded the graduates of their greater responsibility: “Graduates, you are not merely finishers of a degree. You are dreamers entrusted with influencing the future.”
MSU-IIT Chancellor, Prof. Atty. Alizedney M. Ditucalan, also delivered his welcome address, emphasizing the message of refusing to romanticize the idea of “resilience.” Instead, he encouraged the graduates to “not wait for better systems to appear. Be better systems yourselves”.
Echoing a similar sentiment to Dr. Pimentel, Prof. Ditucalan urged them to embody integrity in their professions and to contribute to building a future where people are no longer victims of recurring disasters.
The graduates also heard from the MSU System President, Atty. Paisalin P. Tago, whose remarks highlighted the broader mission of the Mindanao State University System: to serve the people of Mindanao.
“As part of the MSU system, you are here to have greater responsibility, to bridge communities, to uphold merit over mediocrity, to defend truth over convenience, and to prove that Mindanao produces not only talent, but character,” Atty. Tago highlighted.
The messages that echoed in the ceremony framed the commencement ceremony not as the end of an academic journey but as the beginning of a significant responsibility—one in which the graduates are called to navigate life with purpose and positively influence the future.
Written by Maan Deuda
Proofread by Fame Orong
Photos by Krizylle Louise Giltendez
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