UPAA-MB, in partnership with UM-Sigaw is proud to announce the recipient of its first bursary project. Coleen Valdez and UM-Sigaw’s awardee Katrina Soriano have been selected by UM-Sigaw’s officers and a UPAA-MB representative through application process, interview, academic standing, financial need and community service. Coleen will receive the bursary amount of $250.00 and a certificate from both organizations.
Prior to migration in Canada, Coleen Isabel F. Valdez finished high school at St. Mary’s Academy of Caloocan City, where she was hailed as the batch Salutatorian and Writer of the year. Her penchant for written and oral communication made her a consistent achiever in the subject areas of Humanities, English and Filipino. She had also participated in various competitions; some of these were the Elizabeth T. Manalo Cup for Journalism, RVM Schools Congress Extemporaneous Speech, Newark USA Online Writing Contest, UP Economics Society Impromptu Speaking Contest, et al. Her extra-curricular activities included being the school paper’s Editor-in-Chief and hosting culminating activities and events within and outside her school.
Subsequent to high school graduation, Coleen was admitted to University of the Philippines-Diliman’s College of Mass Communication where she took up Journalism. Although her family had to move to Canada after one semester, Coleen was able to help out in different activities such as UP-CMC’s “Freshie Week,” and to finish the semester as a University Scholar.
In Canada, Coleen received merit awards for English, Math, Law and Sociology and was chosen as the recipient of the Margaret and Abe Barg Scholarship during Sisler High School’s 2011 commencement exercises.
Congratulations Coleen, and our sincerest appreciation to UM-Sigaw for helping us with this project.
