“Seize the opportunity to not only focus on building your knowledge and skills but also to develop the values of professionalism and work ethics…” Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jennifer Gonzaga, said in her welcome address during the first Pinning and Capping Ceremony of 171 student-interns of the Samal Island City College (SICC) on February 16, 2023, at the SICC Gymnasium with the theme “Gearing Up: Translating Scholastic Excellence to Real-World Practice."

Being true to its mission of transforming lives and communities through quality education, the student interns from BS Tourism Management and BS Agri-Business are expected to render 600 hours, the Bachelor of Public Administration will render 200 hours, and the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship will do business implementation, all of which can develop not only their theoretical knowledge but also their professional skills and behaviors.

Meanwhile, SICC President, Dr. Jose Ersante R. Fuertes, congratulated the pioneering student interns for being a step closer to completing their programs and reminded them of how they should conduct themselves on their internship journey. He also emphasized that they should perform at their best as their internship will be their stepping stone for their future careers. “Employers look for an asset, not a liability, so be sure that when you enter the world of employment, that should be in your hearts and minds," said Dr. Fuertes as he hopes for good employment for the student interns.

Mr. Guillermo Olden, representing City Mayor Al David T. Uy, also gave salutations and expressed gratitude to the students and parents for making it this far and for choosing and trusting the institution to fulfill their dreams. He also advised the interns to prioritize reaching their goals and pay back the people who have helped them.

The same was prompted by City Vice Mayor Lemuel Reyes, who inspired the students to continuously persevere. “Manghinaut ko na ihatag ninyo ang tibuok ninyong respeto, kindness, (ug) inyong pagkakugihan. Gamiton ninyo inyong naiskwelahan, nahibaw-an dinhi sa skwlehan," he added.