FMC-EGM awards scholars

by Ethel Clemente Fernandez

Mar Mance Scholarship Foundation Recipients	Technical Committee

It began in 2014 as a bursary dubbed Ako Ang Susunod na Pinoy Inhinyero. The Filipino Members Chapter of Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (FMC-EGM) awarded its first two bursary recipients (then-student members, now both professional engineers) in December 2014 during the chapter’s year-end party and has since become an annual feature presentation of the event.

This past year, 2019, saw a significant increase in the number of recipients from four in 2018 to eight and total amount awarded from $3,000 to $9,000.

Aside from the annual fundraising events organized by the chapter, annual financial support from Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba, donations and sponsorships from members and supporters, another source of funding came through the Mar Mance Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

Thus, the creation of two categories of scholarships: the FMC-EGM’s scholarship and the newly-established Mar Mance Memorial Scholarship.

From 2014 to 2016, selection was through a lottery where names of applicants were randomly drawn during the awarding night. Since 2017, selection has been an evaluation process to recognize applicants’ financial needs, academic performance, as well as to reward applicants’ chapter and community involvement through volunteering and/or participation.

The Technical Committee of FMC-EGM anonymously evaluated scholarship applicants following a stringent set of rules and criteria.

The recipients of the 2019 FMC scholarships were Melissa Pasahol, Rhyz Joshua Abella, Andrei Joshua Loredo, and Reynaldo Robillos, Jr. Each received $500 in cash and will also receive an additional $250 upon becoming engineering interns.

The first cohort of the Mar Mance Memorial Scholarship recipients includes Joseph Magtoto, Dean Kenneth Bundalian, Jocelyn Salvador-Domingo, and Gympson Agravante. Each received $1,000 in cash and an additional $500 upon becoming engineering interns.

Since its launch in 2014, the FMC-EGM has provided nearly $20,000 in bursaries and scholarships to 24 student members.