Deejay Maranguit of the Department of Soil Science has completed her PhD in the University of Gottigen (UG) in Germany, finishing ‘with great distinction’, which is the equivalent of magna cum laude, on September 25, 2017.
Maranguit focused on Soil Science in temperate ecosystems,and conducted research on assessing the impact of converting forest areas into intensively managed rubber and oil palm plantations on the availability of phosphorus. She worked under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Yakov Kuzyakov, and Prof. Dr. Michaela Dippold.
Humility and appreciation for other cultures were two of the things Maranguit said her stay in Germany taught her. According to her, cultural differences should never be an issue as long as one knows how to accept and respect them.
It was not an easy three years, but with the effort, Maranguit is now back in VSU, with a distinction that has made her mentors proud. As she puts it: “It was a roller coaster ride, nevertheless, along the way were sweet memories to keep and to cherish forever”
“Poverty is not a hindrance to success” was something Maranguit emphasized. Quality education, even outside the country has become increasingly possible for those who are willing to put in the work, as opportunities have increased over the years. One of several overseas scholarship programs of VSU is the Experts4Asia scholarship, of which Maranguit is a beneficiary.