Clad in academic regalia and surrounded by proud families and mentors, 261 graduate and law students of Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) crossed a defining threshold in their academic journey during the University’s Hooding Ceremony at the Dr. Juanito A. Bruno Gymnasium.

The ceremony was not only a celebration of earned credentials. It was a recognition of years of sacrifice, resilience, and determination, and a reminder that the pursuit of higher learning carries with it a responsibility to serve, innovate, and lead.

Presiding over the occasion as guest speaker was Hon. Judge Jules Christian D. Marcos, a distinguished member of the judiciary and a proud alumnus of the WMSU College of Law. He is the presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 41, Zamboanga City. Throughout his years of service at WMSU, he assumed several key positions, culminating in his appointment as Dean of the College of Law before his transfer to the RTC. Returning to the institution that helped shape his professional life, Judge Marcos delivered a message that blended personal reflection with a compelling challenge to the graduates who now stand at the threshold of greater responsibility.

Recalling his own hooding ceremonies, first with his mother twenty years ago and later with his wife, Judge Marcos spoke fondly of his enduring connection with WMSU.

“I cannot say no to the institution where I spent half of my living years,” he said.

Addressing the graduates, he emphasized that the academic hood symbolizes far more than scholarly achievement.

“The hood you will wear is more than the fabric and colors it bears. It represents the discipline you have mustered, the institution that has nurtured your growth, and the commitment you now carry to use your learning for the betterment of society.”

He described each hood as a testament to the unseen qualities that enabled the graduates to reach this milestone.

“Each hood strip upon your shoulders is a visible sign of invisible qualities, of perseverance, curiosity, resilience, and integrity.”

Judge Marcos challenged the graduates to confront the realities of a world increasingly defined by conflict, economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and complex social issues. He reminded them that their education places them in a unique position to contribute solutions and drive meaningful change.

“As WMSU graduates, you are scholars of the people. Every Filipino indirectly invests in your education, not only through the taxes they pay but through their hopes for a better future.”

He called on future lawyers to uphold justice and strengthen public trust in institutions, urged healthcare professionals to make quality healthcare more accessible, encouraged educators to rethink learning in the age of artificial intelligence, and challenged managers and administrators to build more responsive and efficient organizations.

One of the strongest messages of his address centered on the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence.

“Make technology a powerful tool. Do not allow yourselves to succumb to the sweet allure of artificial intelligence and produce graduates who are artificially intelligent.”

For doctoral graduates, he emphasized that earning the highest academic degree is not the conclusion of scholarship but the beginning of a lifelong commitment to research, discovery, and knowledge creation.

As he concluded, Judge Marcos reminded the graduates that true scholarship is measured not by titles or credentials but by service to others.

“Wear your hood with pride, but also wear it with humility, knowing that true scholarship is measured not only by what you know but by how you use that knowledge to serve others.”

The ceremony also honored the parents, families, mentors, and loved ones whose sacrifices and unwavering support made the graduates’ achievements possible.

As the hoods were placed upon their shoulders, the candidates for graduation were reminded that education finds its highest purpose not in the degrees earned, but in the lives transformed, the communities served, and the future they help shape through knowledge, innovation, and purposeful action. (LMP, PAO)