An outstanding young scientist from Marawi – graduating summa cum laude, with a degree in molecular biology and biotechnology – will deliver the valedictory address at this weekend’s graduation rites at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, sources at the State University have confirmed to InterAksyon.
UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan announced the selection of Arman Ali Ghodsinia as the graduating class speaker at the University Council meeting on Monday, one source present at the gathering said. The honor accorded Ghodsinia was separately confirmed by a UP System official.
The UP Diliman information office later confirmed Ghodsinia will indeed deliver the valedictory address, but said they were not authorized to disclose his general weighted average. According to a source, Ghodsinia will graduate with a general weighted average of 1.173 in a system with a highest possible GWA of 1.00. More notably, his feat comes against the still smoldering backdrop of his hometown Marawi, the Islamic Philippine city which has grabbed headlines around the world the past month for the destruction and terror wrought by extremists that have aligned themselves with the ISIS terror network.
Ghodsinia completed his elementary schooling at the Ateneo de Manila, and his secondary schooling at the Philippine Science High School.
Last January 2017, Ghodsinia was declared first-prize winner of the 25th Federation of ASEAN and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) search for outstanding scientific work in that field. The conference where that search was launched was held Dec. 5-6 in Manila.
In a September 2016 Facebook post, his sister, Farah, said: “You might think that Arman’s the type of the everyday-grade-conscious student but believe me, he’s not. He is the first to remind me to look beyond the grades and to hold on to long-term goals. Arman is this really simple, humble and quiet guy, who just happens to be passionate about what he does.”
In the FB post, when she first broke the news about Arman being on track to graduate summa cum laude, Farah said: “As a Maranaw and member of an ethnic-religious minority, this feat – as an Iskolar ng Bayan – is a feat to be shared with all.”
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