CSU APARRI CONCLUDES 47TH ACADEMIC CONVOCATION, BRINGS TOTAL GRADUATES TO 7,790 FOR CLASS OF 2025

Aparri, Cagayan — Cagayan State University (CSU) Aparri Campus held its 47th Academic Convocation for the Conferment of Degrees and Titles in two parts, celebrating the graduation of 1,151 students from eight colleges on July 8, 2025.

The event brought CSU’s total number of graduates to 6,524 across its campuses, with 115 more graduates from the College of Medicine - CSU Carig Campus set to complete the Class of 2025 on July 24, culminating in 7,790 graduates university-wide.

The Aparri Campus honored academic excellence, conferring distinctions upon 5 Magna Cum Laude, 40 Cum Laude graduates, 35 Academic Distinctions and 56 with Merit. In the Graduate School, 11 made it to the Dean’s List and one student was recognized for an Outstanding Thesis.

Graduates came from the College of Business, Entrepreneurship and Accountancy; College of Criminal Justice Education; College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; College of Hospitality Management; College of Industrial Technology; College of Information and Computing Sciences; College of Teacher Education; and the Graduate School.

In his Charge to the Graduates, CSU President Dr. Arthur G. Ibañez emphasized CSU’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, “To the stars through hard work”, urging graduates to view challenges not as setbacks but as necessary steps toward greatness. “I pray that we shall meet again, perhaps, within these confines that have been your home for the past years, but more likely in the places that will bear the indelible marks of your diligence, your intelligence, and your dedication,” he said.

Adding a national perspective, CHED Chairperson and CSU Board of Regents Chair Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis delivered a video message reminding graduates of their role in nation-building. “Never forget the words of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal—ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. You are that hope. Let your future be guided by integrity, fueled by compassion, and driven by excellence,” she said.

In his Address of Thanks, Dee Jay N. Felix, Magna Cum Laude and BS Fisheries graduate, offered a poignant reflection on resilience and transformation. “May we no longer resent the detours, because we now understand: they were never meant to stop us, but to save us,” he said, capturing the emotional journey of the Class of 2025.

Fellow Magna Cum Laude graduate Rufa Mae B. Urbi of the BS Hospitality Management program also shared her gratitude. “Real success is not about what we achieved—it is about what we become. It is not only finishing our school but honoring the people, the process, the purpose behind every step we took,” she expressed, thanking CSU, mentors, families, friends, and classmates, for their unwavering support.

The 47th Academic Convocation series, which commenced on June 20 and will culminate on July 24, illuminates the enduring commitment of the university to excellence, leadership, and public service. The Class of 2025 now carries the torch of the CSU legacy as they take their next steps, with integrity, purpose, and the heart of a true CSUan.