Filipino student Jeremih Lei Liporada has recently finished the Canada-ASEAN Scholarship for Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) granted by The Canadian Bureau for International Education.
The fellowship funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD), provides qualified applicants from Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college, undergraduate, and graduate levels.
Facilitated through institutional collaborations, the open call for applications was cascaded and facilitated by the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Halifax to its academic partner, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where Liporada is currently pursuing her degree in Real Estate Management.
“I applied with no hesitancy because I believed that what was meant for me will always be for me,” Liporada shared. “When I got in, the possible challenges and delays didn’t faze me because I’ve always believed life is not a race and everyone has their own timeline. I began this journey in the middle of the pandemic. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it is to be courageous and faithful.”
Through SEED, Liporada enrolled in NSCC’s Open Entrepreneurship Program with a full scholarship. Her air ticket and travel insurance, visas and permits, as well as living expenses were all covered. She likewise received miscellaneous support for her book allowances.
In her nine-month stay at NSCC, Liporada attended and earned credits for two terms worth of courses, which included Professional Selling, Marketing Research, New Ventures, Finance I, Business Law, and Communications-Workplace Applications. She likewise completed classes in Contemporary Business Issues, Principles of E-Commerce, Strategic Internet Marketing and Management Strategies.
“One of the most important lessons I’ve picked up from my courses is not taking ‘no’ for an answer,” she added. “Although it mostly referred to sales, I think it was very timely and can be used in any situation in life. By doing so, we shall get comfortable with rejection and shall thrive in adversity.”
Liporada took this once-in-a-lifetime chance to likewise hone and exemplify her skills in an international environment. She engaged in organizations, served as project leader, and participated in hackathons and webinars outside the four walls of NSCC.
Liporada recalled how being alone in a foreign land felt daunting and exhilarating at the same time. “I didn’t know anyone in Nova Scotia but this allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and embrace different perspectives,” she explained.
Currently, Liporada is back in Manila to complete her final thesis.