Xavier University has formalized its partnership with the Kagayanon International – East Coast Chapter (KIECC) with the signing of a memorandum of agreement on January 25 for a perpetual scholarship fund.

The MOA lays out modifications in the scholarship program from the existing non-perpetual, full scholarship fund to a perpetual, partial scholarship fund starting school year 2012.

KIECC decided on making the scholarship fund a perpetual fund with an endowment of close to half a million pesos to ensure sustainability of the program. Eventually, KIECC hopes to increase its endowment to be able to provide full scholarships.

“We intend to add to the endowment fund to make it a perpetual, full scholarship fund,” said Dr Ronaldo Ferraris, KIECC scholarship program coordinator.

Since it started in 1993, KIECC’s scholarship program has graduated three scholars from Xavier: Lourdes Sullano who graduated magna cum laude in 2008, Analyn Carreon who has since become a Chemistry faculty at Xavier and is finishing her doctorate degree at the Ateneo de Manila University, and Stephany Pocot who is now a registered nurse. Come March, another KIECC scholar is set to graduate, Clarrise Getubig who is taking up BS Education.

KIECC is an organization of US-based Cagayanons, most of whom are XU alumni/ae. They host annual fundraising activities to gather contributions from fellow Cagayanons to support development programs in Cagayan de Oro.