When the WVSU International and Local Linkages Office – ILLO was established as a separate unit in December 2021, we were looking at different possibilities of student exposure to international events. But one is priority: the Taga-West must be able to travel abroad!

As the Taga-West in internationalization thread past the half of 2023, we claim what we thought was just a dream, when we were looking at other state universities and colleges in the Philippines send exchange students to Canada.

We’ve gone through pains for all these, through the process—from the application, to the screening, to the visa processing and biometrics, to the air ticket purchasing, and a lot more to enumerate. There was a point where things seemed hopeless. But thanks be to God, it was granted to us.

We are ever grateful to those who applied but never made it—you still have next year, so please arm yourselves with your passport and determination.

Two of our students, Hershey Geline Sumpay and Jeanne Michaella Anthonette Andong-Nanquil made it to the Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) , funded by the Canadian Government. They are in Mohawk College, Hamilton right now for the September to December 2023 study. They are granted a certain amount in Canadian dollars to finance their air tickets, accommodation, visa, and other expenses.

Hershey is taking up Broadcasting – Television and Communications Media, while Jeanne is taking up Advertising and Marketing Communications Management.

We are indebted to our University President, Dr. Joselito Bebong Villaruz, who said, “Happy happy gid ako” when we told him the news. After all, he rallied for the internationalization of WVSU to be institutionalized; and to our university officials who made all things less difficult for us. Also to the Canadian Government, the Commission on Higher Education(CHED) headed by Chair J. Prospero Popoy De Vera, Commission on Higher Education International Affairs Services led by Atty. @Lily Freida Macabangon Milla, and Ms. @Angel Cachuela of the Canadian Education and Trade. Also, to Jels Sales and to our friends at Sun-Cor Unlimited Inc, who are helping to look after the students in Canada, thank you.

May Hershey and Jeanne serve as inspiration to the WVSU students: dare to take the challenge!

We thank the families and friends of these students who are with us from the very start.

Oh yes, we repeat: This is it! It’s the first for Taga-West in Canada. And we are just beginning.