Former chief ed to study
in the United States anew
By Vladimir Paat Villegas

LIGHTNING INDEED STRIKES twice—especially for those who dare to reach greater heights.

After passing a rigid international screening competition among eight participating countries, Don Michael Acelar De Leon, The Makati Science Vision former editor in chief and Ateneo de Manila University communication junior student, will once again fly to the United States of America through a full scholarship grant of the Global Undergraduate (Global Ugrad) Exchange Program, a founding project of the US Department of State-Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Fulbright-Philippine American Educational Foundation.

Under the Global Ugrad Exchange Program, De Leon will spend one academic spring semester in the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama from January to May 2009 to pursue further studies in communication and participate in a community internship program.

Along with 14 other recipients of the Global Ugrad scholarships all over the Philippines, De Leon will conduct cultural presentations and formal dialogues and discussions with fellow international students as a student ambassador of goodwill of the Philippines.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to study in the United States once again and to represent the City of Makati and the Ateneo de Manila University in an American environment,” said De Leon in an interview with The Makati Science Vision.

In 2004, after passing a three-tiered national screening process, De Leon went on a one-year full scholarship to the United States under the American Field Service Youth Exchange and Study Program where he stayed in Manor, Texas and reaped numerous awards including the Mr Manor High School, Silver Medal for Academic Excellence, among others.

De Leon also served his host community by initiating a school-wide fund raising effort for the 2004 Tsunami victims in cooperation with the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

Upon his return to the Philippines in 2005, De Leon served as the editor in chief of The Makati Science Vision, where he won first place in the Department of Education-National Capital Region (NCR) Secondary Schools Press Conference Copy Reading and Headline Writing Contest and was recognized as one of the 10 Teodoro Valencia Outstanding Campus Journalist in the NCR.

De Leon was also the school’s sole recipient of the Cartoon Network Award of Excellence in the Arts for his outstanding achievement in the literary and the performing arts.