“PRESSURE IS NOT A CURSE, IT IS A BLESSING”

It was August 30, 2012.  

The second day of the Computer Engineering/Computer Engineering Society days.  One of the major events for that day was the “Fellowship with the CpE alumni”.  Obviously, the event needs to invite a CpE graduate to share his experiences in life as once a student of the BS CpE program, and how it has affected, contributed to his professional and personal life.  With the help of Engr. Barney Cortes, a part-time faculty and also an alumnus of the program, he was able to invite and confirm a classmate of his to grace the occasion.  His name is Engr. Vicente Miñoza.

We were so lucky that he was available during that date.  Lucky enough, that the academe for which he is connected was having their intramurals days.  Thus, he was able to spare time for us.

Engr. Miñoza started with how he struggled during his college days.  He mentioned how near he was to shifting courses, and could have taken a different career path.  Eventually he succeeded with his decision to stay put, and has been able to work handsomely in different industries.  Handsomely, meaning, a very promising profession closely related to his degree, and able to travel to different places.  Currently he is into full time teaching with another reputable university, and does distance learning as an educator.  All this he was able to attain for staying put.  According to him, what I preached in class when he was still a student of mine contributed to that decision.  He said admittedly he did not buy-in to that immediately, but as he tried to take on, it changed his attitude towards the struggles he had, faced everything courageously and succeeded.

“PRESSURE IS NOT A CURSE. IT IS A BLESSING”

I was so surprised he remembers that preaching of mine.  I have not preached of it in recent years.  It’s not that I stopped mentoring and sharing valuable lessons.  I just preached another as an educator, spreading the philosophies of Confucius, having been influenced by his teachings during my basic education years; being a product from a Chinese school.

When Engr. Miñoza spoke out these words that day, this so-called philosophy came back to my memory.  It was one of the two “philosophy” that has guided me throughout my simple life of mine.  I always share these thoughts with people who are very much close to me.  And when I got into teaching, I shared this with my students.

Those are exactly the words I uttered in class.  I always present it at the start of the semester, after the giving of midterm grades, or when I just want to talk about it.  I would do that in hopes of probably at least inspiring them, and not to give up amidst the harshness of their current life.  I talked about it during my first six years with the institution.  And the years that succeeded saw me preaching a different “philosophy”.

These “philosophy” as I coined it is a product of a personal experience of mine.  When I was still a student (from basic education to college years), I’ve always treated all the pressures given to me by my instructors as part of growing up.  It was for me, to work hard, to learn more, to find ways to look for solutions, to eventually make me ready for finding solutions to real life problems ahead.  Solutions to Real life includes things that academic life does not teach, but the discipline and attitude you acquire for handling it, making it the perfect weapons to go through reality.

While most of my classmates whine about strict teachers, giving hard exams, handing numerous projects for us to comply, I just accept it as it is.  I react negatively at first like everybody does. “These are too many!!!”, “can’t he give a simpler exam?”, “Another pile of activities this week?”, “I’ve got much to comply from the other subject, now here’s another?”  Sometimes when the times really get rough, I would even cry in the private space of my room.  I can feel the pressure too. I’m just human, and I have several limitations and weaknesses.  Yet, I never thought of thinking into giving up and instead push my mind that I can do this.  And I can do it one step at a time.

Those pressures had evolved me into being a pro-active person.  I make the most of what I have, and what I can do.  What I am capable of determines the type of effort I put into achieving things.  Though I entertained the idea of “If I have this…..I can do this………….” , I never limited myself because of that.  Instead, I just maximize my most available resources, and put my most influence into everything that I want to do.  Not to neglect also the value of time management.  And most of all, constant prayers to HIM, to strengthen me in my most down times.  Pressures are just a test of character.  There is no pressure or test that we cannot handle.

It’s been years since I graduated from college.  But the pressures in life never ended there.  Actually, it has evolved into much more difficult times.  As the pressures evolved from that point to this point, dealing with pressure has also evolved.  The formula remains the same though.  Never let my limitations hinder the task at-hand, focus on the most valuable strength as the weapon to achieve things.  Be the solution, not be the problem.  As what Stephen Covey has said from his book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Be A Pro-active Person, not a Reactive Person.

I give this insight to all readers as I end this blog:

Pressure Is Not A Curse…….. There is no need to condemn it.  Bear it in mind that the pressures you have right now is just a test of you and your character.  There are very valuable lessons to be learned that is hidden with it.  These lessons are acquired if you take things positively, never limit yourself by your weakness, but maximize your strength.  There is no test given to you that you cannot handle. 

IT IS A BLESSING………. There are rewards that you will reap once you are able to make it through any pressure that you had.  And it affects you POSITIVELY for the rest of your lifetime.

C”,) c”,) c”,) 

The Anatomy of the New USJ-R CpE Logo

Many have seen the relevance of logos to represent their respective companies, groups, organizations, brands........others.  They may differ in designs, but they tell us something.  The logos describe the vision, the direction, the mission, the product, to which a certain entity represents.  Logos are much associated with the term 'branding'.

The USJ-R Computer Engineering Department has replaced the old logo.  The new logo showcases the new package/direction of the department, to produce high quality graduates, with distinction that the graduate is a USJ-R CpE product.

The logo shall be dissected to the following:

This element in the logo shows fundamental information for digital systems, the binary numbers.  This is extensively used in digital systems design and programming.  For a Computer Engineer, acquiring this knowledge is very essential, as this his foundation in the development of new hardware systems, and into logical approaches to higher levels of programming, whether for applications, embedded or firmware systems.  Thus it is said, as a Josenian Computer Engineer, he will carry the 1’s and 0’s for the rest of his professional life.

Another element in the logo shows the robotic arm, which has been universally recognized as one of the major thrust for Computer Engineers.  Building robotic arms is an example of hardware machine being able to function based from a stand-alone program embedded into it, or being computer controlled.  Thus, robotic systems belong to a bigger category called Embedded Systems. Embedded systems development comes in many forms, whether creating machines for vehicles, industries, network systems, mobile gadgets, household appliances and so much more.  A Josenian Computer Engineer is very much knowledgeable in embedded systems.

This element is the universally recognized symbol for wireless connections.  Wireless connectivity is one area in network systems infrastructure.  A Josenian Computer Engineer are trained not only on the concepts on wired and wireless communications, but also on administering the infrastructure systems.  Computer Engineers have already contributed much to advancement and innovation of digital communications.

This element can be recognized as a digital hardware system implemented into a printed-circuit board.  This is the penultimate stage of a Computer Engineers research, design and development of a digital system.  This represents a work presented into a prototype, and later on, into marketability.  Josenian Computer Engineers are trained not only on different modules for programming, digital systems design, and networking systems, but integrating all of these on developing real projects that shall give much contribution to society.

The wheel at the back of the elements shows that Computer Engineering is among the many professions in the Engineering discipline.

The text ‘Computer Engineering Department’ exhibits that this logo is conceived and owned the by the CpE department.  On the other hand, the text ‘USJ-R’ also indicates that a Josenian Computer Engineer is guided by the vision and mission of the university and the college to which the department belong.

Furthermore, the round figure that encloses the entirety of the logo exhibits roundedness, dynamism, and open-mindedness of a Josenian Computer Engineer.

With the new logo, it shows that the USJ-R Computer Engineering Department has shown new direction in the field of Engineering and Information Technology.  To develop high quality Computer Engineers, adaptable to any fields of specialization, highly employable not only in the locality and the country, but also to make an impact globally.  This logo is a brand.  This brand is USJ-R Computer Engineering Department. 

Me in USJ-R and CpE

June 1999, date of hiring.

I was just a fresh graduate, having received my diploma two months earlier.  The degree states, Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering.  Thus it allows me to add the title Engineer at the start of my name.

That date was the official start of my professional career.  To be more specific, the profession of teaching.  It was my first job, and still is the main profession I'm into presently.

The actual plan after graduation was mapped out into two options: first, do full time teaching for a year, then transfer to the industry, and continue teaching on part time basis; second, do a full time job with the industry and have part time for any academic institution.  As you can see, teaching was never left out in the plan.  Maybe it’s in the blood, the passion to serve others through teaching.  My grandma and my mother were educators, and were very proficient and highly regarded during their prime.  So probably their genes might have been transferred to me.

My hiring was timely.  The Computer Engineering program was about to be given its own department.  With only one faculty available having the degree of BS CpE in the teaching staff, the need to hire more became imminent so to address the creation of a department with staffs having the appropriate baccalaureate program.  The need for qualified personnel for the appropriate major subjects in the discipline was also among the many reasons.  More importantly, the increasing number of enrolling students in the program mean direct proportional increase of the teaching staff.  5 new full time and 5 new part time were hired.  I was among the full timers.  The department then was able to produce the first batch of graduates. That was the year 2000.

I was a probationary full time faculty when I was hired.  On university rules, one can only attain regular full time status after 3 years of teaching, and able to acquire a masters degree.  It took me four years though to become a regular full-time teaching staff. 

A year before I was about to finish the master's degree, I thought of not finishing it because of financial constraints.  Financing was the ultimate hurdle towards the completion of the program.  My dean at that time told to me to write a letter on request for financial assistance addressed to the University president through the office of the then-Research, Planning and Scholarship Center.  It was approved, on the condition that I shall be bonded to the university for the next 3 years.  With the will to serve the university, 3 years is nothing to me, so I agreed.

June 2003.  It was the date of a new school year.  It was also the date to which I was finally a regular full time teaching staff.  I am now able to enjoy the benefits and the privileges that the university gives to tenured employees.  It was also the year where the re-alignment of programs has taken full effect.  Our department, was taken from the engineering college to the new college for information technology, together with programs of BS Computer Science, BS Information Technology, BS Information Systems, and BS Office Administration.

It was a change of culture.  From the engineering philosophies to the IT ones, adjustment have to be made.  Significant re-structuring of the BS CpE program was made, but the foundations of an engineer where always there.  Personal feelings have to be adjusted also, to work in harmony with the new environment and people.  Two and a half years after, the college was relocated to another campus.  Adjustments have to be done again.  

We stayed with the college for six years.  The people we worked with were very remarkable people.  Aside from possessing the attitude to be dynamic, a necessary requirement for one in the technology field, each individual are fun-loving, energetic, and full of passion.  Not to mention each has high regard for the value of teamwork.  Yet as most say times do change, the clamor that our BS CpE program has to be re-aligned back to the engineering disciplines has been a recurring issue for several years.  Until such time change was inevitable, we were finally returned back to the College of Engineering, to which where we originally belonged.  Not all of us were brought back.  Those who remained left the college 2 years after in search for greener pastures.

June 2009.  The effective date of  BS CpE’s homecoming to the College of Engineering.  The phrase “This is where we truly belong” was the sound of excitement made spread to the rest of the Josenian engineering.  The homecoming was filled with positive effects highlighted at the end of the school year with the CpE graduating students continued dominance of the yearly Robofesta Ph, this time even bagging the top two spots.

The only downside to the homecoming was that the program belong to only one department, the EE/ECE/CpE department.  However, this was addressed a year later, as the program was given again a separate department.  This is needed as the accrediting body, PAASCU, has recognized a sole department for the program.

The school year 2011-12 showed much more visible existence of the BS CpE program in the college.  Several milestones have been achieved.  Design project approved proposal presentations and the Computer Engineering Design Project Presentations was held for the very first time.  The audience were not anymore limited to the panel of examiners and the senior students, but also the entire CpE population and other interested Engineering parties.  The department has purchased new equipment to bolster the software engineering track and networking systems track of the BS CpE program.  School year also marked the shout-out of the department, “Long Live CpE”   

So there it is.  School year 2011-12 is now about to end, and a new school year is about to come.  In the 17 years of BS CpE program in the university, I have 13 years of it.  And it is still counting.  It feels it was just like yesterday when I came to this university.  I witnessed very bright future of very promising and potential graduates.  I salute to the success achieved by our alumni. 

Through the years, I witnessed the evolution of the BS CpE program.  From the time it was still in its infancy, up to now in its still continuing change.  As the program changed to meet the needs of the ever changing times, I personally also evolved for the better, not only professionally, but also to my very personal life.  It is very much safe to say, I grew up and mature of my 13 years of the teaching profession, and I grew up together with USJ-R CpE.  For the length of time I'm here, I always look back at the past events that had transpired in my journey.

For as long as time and USJ-R allows me to serve for the CpE department, I unconditionally would be very much willing to lend a hand, continue teaching, hoping to lead young minds to a brighter future not only for themselves but also for the nation and the world.

Long Live CpE!!!!