Selecting a course of study in higher education is one of the first major decisions students make.

Questions like “What will I be? What will I do?” flood the mind. At this time, a young student may feel as
if they are on a crossroads; surrounded by paths full of the unknown.

It is with this that UP KEM holds Compass, a career series to promote the Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track to junior high school students. The event Is a sub-project of
the year-long Check Marks the Spot. This year’s first Compass installment was for the 200 tenth-graders
of New Era Public High School.

Mark Steven Santiago from the Institute of Chemistry spoke about career opportunities in the sciences.
He spoke about what a career in the sciences can do for them as individuals, and for their society and
fellowmen. Science is a way of life, and “science befriends failures,” Mr. Santiago said. He sought to
inspire the students to see science not as a boring class of memorization and book-reading, but as a
boundless and boundlessly interesting pursuit of knowledge.

Christian John Immanuel Boydon of the Industrial Engineering Department showed the New Era high
schoolers the true meaning of an engineering education and career. He said, “If you want to use the
world’s knowledge in order to make life easier for mankind, go for engineering.” Some students asked
about what kind of Mr. Boydon explained the differences between the different engineering fields.

The crowd of high schoolers met UP Diliman Class of 2017’s batch valedictorian Williard Joshua Jose
with giddy awe and applause. Mr. Jose’s talk on technology as a career path began with an anecdote on
the models of cellphones he has ever owned. He spoke mostly about his experiences as a student, and
now as he works with a telecommunications company. The audience asked a lot about Mr. Jose’s
successful academic track and how they can take similar steps towards this. Mr. Jose urged the students
to explore their many skills as they pursue their education, and to be diligent in studying.

As the last speaker, Dr. Belina Cuevas of the UP Diliman Office of Counseling and Guidance gave the
students simple steps and factors to consider when selecting a course or specialization track. Dr. Cuevas
spoke of factors like personal skill, interest, financial capacity, and availability of the courses desired. In
the forum, students brought up some of their problems in facing this decision. One student shared that
her parents already selected a college course for her. Dr. Cuevas assured the students that their parents
will be supportive of their decisions, and encouraged them to take tracks in line with what is best for
them.

Career orientations are so valuable to the decisions to be made by these young students. Hopefully, UP
KEM left the New Era Public High School with the hearts of the students magnetized like compass
needles; slowing the nervous spinning and set pointing toward a better course.