Fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BS Psychology) students basked in the spectacle of a milestone as they became the pioneering batch of Cebu Normal University’s (CNU) 1st Psychology Pinning Ceremony held yesterday afternoon at Samuel MacClintock (SM) Hall.
With the theme “Psychology Forward: Resiliency and Passion in Light of Dynamic Transition in the Global Healthcare Crisis”, the event is a kick-off celebration before the participating students are deployed as interns.
The Pinning Ceremony started with the hues of white parading the red carpet in the Processional of senior Psychology students.
In his welcome address, Mr. Jose Rey M. Ocat, faculty of the Psychology Department, stressed that the event should be a remarkable memory because they managed to reach the ceremony despite the severe effect of the pandemic.
The first keynote speaker, Mr. John Villanueva, described his experiences as a former addict who became a pastor at the House of Hope, one of the oldest rehabilitation facilities in the South, in his discussion on “Clinical Psychology in the Workplace”.
“Rehabilitation centers are only existing because of one problem – addiction,” Villanueva emphasized.
The second keynote address was delivered by Mr. Semhre C. Quijano, a CNU alumnus, and a certified lean sigma yellow belt. He talked about the different problems that fall within the spectrum of industrial psychology, including in this time of the new normal: the sinking state of employee engagement and sense of belongingness at work.
During the open forum session, a student voiced concern regarding the Human Resources (HR) department. Quijano addressed the issue and emphasized that future HR practitioners should have the skills to implement “strong leadership program training where the people know how to choose a good leader.”
Pinning proper, CAS outlook
Accompanied by their proud families, the pinning proper transpired as the senior students individually walked up on stage to accept the symbol of their transition from being students to interns. This portion of the program was then succeeded by the Students’ Pledge led by Mel Torrence Senerpida (BS Psychology IV), I-Mind Psychology Society mayor.
Senerpida shared with Ang Suga that the first Pinning ceremony’s conceptualization started as early as June and was inspired by the conduct of other departments’ pinning ceremonies and face-to-face graduations.
“All we hope is that this first in the department becomes a tradition in the years ahead,” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked about how it felt to participate in the first pinning ceremony, Razsha Laurana Nakila (BS Psychology IV) shared that it was an honor for her to be a part of what would become a momentous chapter in the history of CNU Psychology and glad that the school acknowledged her degree program through this event.
Sealing the ceremony, Mr. Genesis Dejan, Department Chair, left an insightful message to the senior students that can be easily recalled through the acronym CAS; C for practicing competence, A for being adaptive, and S for service.
“I want to also challenge you guys to be with the tasks that you have in a more competent way […] We need to be adaptive with the different possible changes, possible conditions wherever we may be in the industry […] This profession wouldn’t actually be alive, wouldn’t be born without service,” Dejan said.
He went on to say that as aspiring mental health professionals, they must always be pouring service; doing and giving their extra mile in serving others because that is what the program is all about. §
Words by Rena Mae Avila and Jamaica Ola-a
Photos by Nicole Marie Dumayac
