For almost two decades, a reMARKable surprise that changed the tide in the Department of Interior Design beamed this 2023. The level of distinction created bliss; an achievement stamped after nineteen chapters.
The four years of leading, designing, and breaking down it yielded a historic event. An Interior Design graduate from Calamba, Laguna, Mark John Hije brought home the bacon. Recollecting the tornado of events, he was an outstanding leader for four (4) consecutive years, a prominent SILID (Students’ Integrated League of Interior Design) President in his junior year, and a dependable and composed friend.
Going back to 2019, as the probinsyano, Mark begun his ‘uni life’ with a whack of culture shock. Regardless of the unknown way of living, he managed to breakthrough with it. The breath of fresh air transcended him beyond the horizon of urban mystery. “Shoutout to BSID 4-1! Mas naging madali yung 1st semester ko sa PUP because I have people who can relate with me.” Indeed, no man is an island.
Collecting stars encircled Mark throughout his college venture. Besides, he also progressed in his leadership, which is rooted in his high school period. The hunger for challenges, blasted a cosmos of opportunity, from being appointed as a SILID President by IDr. Billie Jean Dumalo Dela Cruz to being a Financial Advisor. The expanding universe of Mark sky-rocketed his bloodstream for the indulgence of his college life. “By nature, I [really] love challenges, gustong-gusto kong busy ako. Parang may mali kapag wala akong ginagawa. Mukhang kinulang pa ‘ko sa responsibilities. [So] I decided to have [a] part-time job to suffice my needs, and I also anticipated na magiging mahal yung expenses ko on my latter years sa ID. Balancing the leadership role I already had with a part-time job as a Financial Advisor added another level of excitement in my college life.”
Entering the upended tectonics.
In Mark’s thesis year, his ‘final year,’ a seismic of events caused stress and relief. The Interior Design theses were referenced from the Top 10 Theses from the Architecture Department last AY 2020-2021, and has opted to devise from the dissertation, “Clark Children Center: Promoting Healing Conducive Environment Through Application of Culture Sensitive Multisensory Approach,” proposed by Peter R. Noynay. Encompassing the essential design process, it bloomed into the concept of ‘SIBOL,’ a Tagalog term that means growth or sprout from a seed or spore. As the seeds grow in a proper condition, it will nurture its emergence. And those ‘seeds’ are the children. “… [a] symbol for hope of the future along with the swift transition of the COVID-19 Pandemic to new normal living, which entails an optimistic view of the world and a hope for healthier, progressive, and fruitful living.” The chronicles of the pandemic shed a thunder of tomorrow’s promise in Mark’s discourse. In the whirlwind of changing seasons, for almost two months of facing the storm, he survived the intensity of the beautiful disaster.
And now, paparating na tayo sa exciting part. The telescope of deliberations unveiled the light of the thesis. Stunned by the calculations, the supernova of emotions cascaded in Mark’s face. His cosmic journey uncovers the possibilities on the arduous course-Interior Design. Let along the unprecedented conventional expedition leave no bounds. The big bang of the historical event was MARKed on the 26th of September 2023.
“At last, may CUM LAUDE na sa pamilya.”
LAUDER! LAUDE!
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