25/07/2026
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ | Capping off OrSem Week 2026, UNC conducted a parents' orientation seminar for Higher Education today, July 25, at the UNC Sports Palace to acquaint parents with the university's academic policies and student support services.
A key highlight of the event was a discussion led by educational speaker Dr. Maria Jolit Angeline Malaya-Alarte, CSEP, LPT, RPm, who guided parents on supporting incoming college students through their academic transition, focusing on helping them manage their emotions at the start of the school year.
During her address, Dr. Malaya-Alarte also discussed common hurdles students face in higher education and offered practical strategies for parental support.
โThe grades, appearance, the lifestyle, social media posts, achievements, [and] peer pressures are one of the social comparison costs that may hamper their adjustment period dito sa University. And what we can do is encourage your son or daughter to focus on their own progress rather than comparing themselves to others,โ she said.
Dr. Malaya-Alarte further emphasized that mental health is not solely about addressing mental illness but also about fostering an inclusive environment where students feel safe, accepted, and valued.
โI think [the] University of Nueva Caceres is not just giving a full support, but you will really find a family here,โ she added.
Meanwhile, University President Dr. Fay Lea Patria Lauraya highlighted UNCโs expanded partnership with Coursera, noting its standing as a premier global micro-credential platform affiliated with over 200 leading universities worldwide.
"Many of our student graduates, they will not only be awarded by the diploma or transcript, but they will carry with them certificates from Chicago, Illinois, from New South Wales in Australia, [and] London School of Economics in England,โ President Lauraya stated.
Further, she also underscored UNCโs flexible learning modalities, which encompass hybrid, on-site, online, and distance learning options that allow students to balance study locations according to their needs.
"Thereโs also a study that says students learn more when [they] are given freedom to face their studies in their own time... we designed the delivery and institutional curriculum along and in-sync with the preference of our students, making sure that they will enjoy their college life,โ she noted.
The event also featured presentations from university administrators addressing key campus guidelines, including academic and financial policies, registrar concerns, and non-academic affairs.
Anchored on the theme "Together, We Support, Together, We Succeed," the parentsโ orientation served as the closing event for this academic yearโs weeklong OrSem 2026.
Words by Juvie Fortuno
Photos by Franklin Kim Dolor
