May 15, 2014 Palikir, Pohnpei - The National and Pohnpei Campuses celebrated their 59th Commencement Exercises on May 15, 2014, at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center. Over 500 attendees were present to witness the marching of the graduates including dignitaries and leaders of the community.
College President Joseph M. Daisy Ed. D. through his welcoming remarks expressed that "for all of us and for our faculty, most especially, commencement is an opportunity to acknowledge our work and success in educating the young men and women who represent the future hopes and dreams of the FSM."
This year's commencement speaker Evelyn Adolph encouraged the students to take small steps to contribute to a bigger future for the FSM. She also shared a story of a young Micronesian woman who had big dreams and tremendous love for her country. That woman is the late Mariana Ben Dereas. She concluded that "If you live the kind of life that Mariana lived-a life of competence and passion for our country and people, I am confident that the dream of a better and bigger future for our people will be realized."
The top two academic honors were given to valedictorian Jomer Manongsong and salutatorian Dan Gilmete. Among the 225 students that graduated this spring, four graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Guam.
Yap Campus and the Fisheries and Maritime Institute will hold their Spring 2014 Commencement on May 20, 2014. Twenty-nine cadets from the Fisheries and Maritime Institute are graduating from the advanced certificate programs in Navigation, Marine Engineering, and Fishing Technology.