Kyra Perez

Kyra Perez, a Communication student, won the Award of Excellence at the 2023 Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts on her micro documentary called “Kia.”

The BEA Festival is an international digital media and broadcast competition for faculty and students. The Festival typically receives over 1,500 entries every year from over 300 schools.

Perez’s win allowed for UOG to move from 79th to 69th place in the festival’s overall ranking, but the win did not stop there. Perez says that her award signifies that UOG students are just as talented as the rest of the nation in the film industry. 

“This award means that we’re just as capable as other schools in the nation. UOG is so separated from the rest of the nation’s colleges, so it’s difficult to feel comparable sometimes,” Perez said. 

“Kia” is a story about how paddling athlete, Kiara “Kia” Quichocho finds resiliency through battling meningitis, a disease caused from contaminated waters from training to represent Guam. 

Although this is not an award Perez was expecting, she says that the award has inspired her to submit more films into future film festivals, and that it has reaffirmed that she is on the right career track.

When asked about what was next for Perez, she explains what she sees herself doing in the near future.

“Filmmaking is a difficult career choice. I have many ideas, but finding the time and resources to carry them out is difficult. For now, I’ll focus on school and hopefully get a few more projects under my belt before graduating,” she said. 

Christian Gyles Ramos

Christian Gyles Ramos, a Business Administration student, received the 2023 Truman Scholarship award. 

UOG was established when Harry Truman was president, making this a living memorial for his contribution and support to the University. Ramos was dubbed the 20th UOG student to receive this $30,000 award to pursue his graduate studies. 

Out of 705 applicants from around the world, Ramos was one out of 62 that were selected to receive the scholarship. 

Ramos says this scholarship gives him the motivation to continue his graduate studies. “To know that I am able to represent Guam and the Triton spirit is one of my greatest and biggest honors,” he said.

Because the scholarship application was a rigorous process with essay questions and constant conferences with an advisor, Ramos says he did not expect to be one out of 62 applicants to receive the award.

“There were even times where I wanted to step down from the process, but my Truman advisor, Dr. Gena Rojas along with my friends provided me the motivation and support that I needed,” Ramos explained. 

Ramos shares how rewarding it felt to have the financial burden relieved from his shoulders. 

“My parents are my biggest inspirations and motivations because even with their struggles of having to provide for me and my nine siblings, they took on multiple jobs, worked day and night just so we can have a roof to live under, food on the table, and proper education,” Ramos said. 

Ramos is just like an average student at UOG, who works hard everyday to get through his classes. This award excites him to move forward with his future aspirations. 

“There are also other opportunities such as leadership conferences and professional mentorship which will help me as I become a future leader and public servant,” he said. 

Ramos will be on his way to the Truman Scholars Leadership Week in May which will be held in Liberty, Missouri. In this conference, he will get the chance to meet the fellow Truman Scholars from around the world. 

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1. Exercise

Workout or do some sort of physical activity. Now is the time to burn those excuses away by getting on a treadmill or walking around the scenic views of Tumon. By scenic I mean staring up at the iconic whale peeking out of Sea Grill.

Studies show that walking at least 20 minutes a day may reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 30 percent. As you may know (or not), heart disease is one of the leading health-related deaths on Guam. Do yourself a favor by getting rid of the Spam in the grocery list and replacing it with a nice walk!

2. Learn to Cook

Learning to cook can be a hit or miss, but it never hurts to try. It will only hurt if you burn yourself. You are already bored enough to get to this point, so might as well do it. If you are a beginner, start easy. Duh. My favorite easy recipes when I was learning how to cook were Instant Noodles. Today, I cooked boiled eggs. #Progress. 

3. Go Geocaching

Did you know that Guam actually has geocaching? Geocaching is a fun way to get an easy 20 minute walk in your day. The Geocache app allows for you to find hidden objects around the island through hints and clues that fellow geocachers post. If you are feeling mysterious, outdoorsy, and up for an adventure, this is the activity for you!

4. Go Thrifting

Salvation Army, a popular thrift store on Guam, has a warehouse located in Tamuning that is filled with pre-loved clothing, gadgets, handbags, and many other vintage items. You can literally find an old DS or GameBoy in there on a lucky day. If you are a shopper, this place is a must-try experience. 

5. Plan a Party

Planning a party can be hectic, but it does not always have to be that way. Planning a party should be as fun as the party. And if it is not, then you are not doing it right. It does not even have to be anything big! Get someone to do it with you and invite your friends and/or family. If you do not have any, go back to number one and re-read this story.

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With these statistics, UOG has become a well-diverse environment, especially being the island’s only University. 

As both ethnic backgrounds are diverse and unique, there are many reasons to celebrate and honor the pride students take in their culture. In this story, we look at how students perceive diversity in UOG and what barriers they may face with underrepresentation on campus. 

Riko Ichikawa, a freshman Accounting major at UOG defines diversity as acknowledging that everyone brings unique perspectives and experiences to the table. “It means valuing differences rather than trying to erase them,” she said.

Ichikawa is Japanese, but was born and raised on Guam. UOG was a natural choice for her. She believes that UOG does well in honoring and respecting the diverse cultures on campus through cultural events and student organizations. However, she does feel the need for UOG to improve representation in curriculum, faculty, and staff.

There are moments on campus where students feel “talked down upon” by some faculty and staff. Believe it or not, it happens quite often. Some faculty and staff treat students differently because they are “kids.” 

Students are often judged by the way they act or do things on campus. As a result, some students feel constrained and develop the feeling of not belonging. 

“Coping with the challenge of feeling underrepresented can be difficult, but some strategies that may help include seeking support from student organizations that share your background or identity,” Ichikawa said.

She notes the importance of speaking up. “Remember that you have a valuable voice, even if it’s not always recognized by others,” she said.

Chauntae Quichocho, a senior majoring in Chamoru Studies for Education admits that she has had experience of feeling underrepresented in some of her classes. “I do feel that there needs to be more local professors here on campus to be able to relate to the kinds of cultures, traditions, and values of the students,” she said.

With UOG professors also being culturally diverse, they come from different ethnic backgrounds with their own traditions and practices. Some professors may not understand the struggle that students face outside of their academic life to make ends meet. 

On top of student’s studies, some work part-time jobs to help pay for bills. Some are even the “breadwinner” or “head of the household” in their families as a working-student. 

Although the focus of the faculty is to ensure excellence in academics, students feel that the need for a stronger accommodation in understanding the life behind the academic door must be represented. 

To overcome this battle, Quichocho talks to a mentor who she says is working hard to ensure that others do not have to experience the same feeling. 

How are students finding success in the midst of the cultural barriers?

Oxaly Orichiro, a senior in UOG says that her motivations outside of campus brings her to the mindset to keep going.

She spends her time outside of campus hanging out with her family and friends, embracing the moments she shares that bring her closer to her spirituality. 

“I don’t really focus on challenges. There will always be challenges, I’m sure of that. I focus on the positive and getting through with my classes,” she said. Orichiro is a Chuukese student seeking a degree in public administration. 

UOG continues to strive for unity in diversity with being the only university on Guam. Students stay resilient with the challenges and still continue to seek success for themselves.

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In this story, college students from the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are revealing their secrets on how they pass an exam, bounce back after failing one, how to have confidence, and how to pretend like you know what is going on in class. 

To what extent are students pushing themselves to pass an exam with a desirable grade? Loreto Paulino, a senior at the University of Guam majoring in Chemistry says his secret to passing an exam is using ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence system. 

He uses AI to create a test based on his notes. “It’s like having a personal teacher who doesn’t judge me on my bad habits,” Paulino said.

In the many wins that college students achieve, they also face failure. Paulino shares how he is able to bounce back from failing an exam. 

“The key is to remember that failing an exam is not the end of the world,” he said.

When asked about how he built his confidence during his time as a graduating senior, Paulino says to imagine yourself as a Hollywood star. 

“You are a Hollywood star and the classroom is your stage. Your classmates are the supporting actors, but you’re the leading role,” he said. 

STEM students like Nathan Paz, a junior majoring in Biology under the biomedical track emphasizes that his secret in taking in the defeat of the result of a bad exam is to allow yourself to grieve. 

“Go out for a meal or relax while processing the exam score. Don’t beat yourself over it. A failed exam is only one moment in your entire college career,” Paz said. 

“Women in STEM” is a popular phrase that highlights the impact that women have in a rigorous field of study. Hilary Tirazona, a proud woman also majoring in biomedical, says her secret to passing an exam is time-consuming, soul-crunching and tedious, but it has never let her down, yet.

It is the traditional way of taking notes, reading, making a study guide, and quizzing yourself.

“Confidence is something that is acquired. It doesn’t stem from thinking that you know everything, but rather, from knowing that you have done all that you can and have given your best effort,” Tirazona said. 

Now that all the secrets of failure and success have been revealed by some students, what do you do when you are in your fourth class of the day and have no idea what is going on?

Tirazona says that it is all about making that body language connection with your professor. “Lock eyes with your professor, smile, nod, and then type. Just type anything to make it seem like you are writing down everything they just said,” she said. 

The bottom line is that you are not alone in this college journey of success. Help is offered wherever you may go, and it does not hurt to accept failure throughout the journey. 

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As a UOG student, whether you are a CHamoru or not, some students believe it would be worthwhile to make an effort to connect to Guam by displaying respect for its language and culture.

Mikayla Angoco, a sophomore biomedical major, explains why she believes it is important for students to immerse themselves in Guam’s culture. 

“If you are a student and finding ways to connect with our island’s culture and language, then you are not only representing the University of Guam, but the whole island, which I think is extremely beautiful,” Angoco shares.

Angoco understands that it is nice to represent the university by simply attending, graduating and becoming a loyal alumnus, but she thinks that more can be done to connect to UOG and the island.

“Even if a student is not CHamoru, it would be beneficial for them to have that flexibility with learning a new language that is different from their ethnic background,” she said. 

Not only would it be beneficial to be able to understand another language, but Angoco also imagines that taking a CHamoru class at UOG would make any student feel as though they are contributing to the island’s community and build personal self-esteem.

“My dad would always tell me that our ancestors had an objective for the future,” Angoco says as she reflects on her father’s words of wisdom of the island’s tradition and values. “With that, hopefully I’d be able to pass it onto the younger generations as well as holding onto my ancestor’s legacy.”

According to Angoco, Guam’s culture and language is becoming less prevalent than before, “If all students from UOG, whether or not they are CHamoru, are able to take the time and put in the effort to learn, then our island will definitely flourish.”

If looking to further look into a CHamoru language or culture class, language classes are available year-round, although respective levels of the language are offered at different semesters. There is also a CHamoru culture class available every year during the fall semester. If looking for additional CHamoru or other Micronesian courses on the UOG website or catalog, they are located under the ‘Modern Languages’ courses.

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Jeresa Camacho, a junior majoring in business administration defines her college experience as a “home away from home.” 

“I had expected a great amount of studying, many parties, and getting a job while being able to join many clubs as a full time student. I expected sleepless nights of studying and living on campus,” Camacho said.

In reality, Camacho spent half of her college life in front of a screen in Zoom Classes due to the shutdown of face-to-face classes from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I couldn’t live in the dorms and couldn’t hang out with friends,” she said.

To bounce back from this situation, Camacho says that networking with her peers became her escape from reality. 

“I have been able to live up to some of my expectations such as networking with many student organizations, being a part of study sessions, and hanging out with friends off campus,” she said. 

Camacho generally spends about four hours on campus everyday. During the time that she is on campus, she is occupied with classes, study groups, and her role in many student organizations.

Maeyah Soberano, a junior majoring in biomedical, says that she believed her college experience to be just like a “high school mentality.”

“My general expectations of college life were coffee every single second, mental breakdowns, constant studying, a ton of homework, being burnt out, not having a social life, having a study group, but a lot of fun activities held by the College,” Soberano said. 

Quickly, Soberano was faced with the reality that college did not fit her “high school mentality” expectation.. “I accept that some days are going to be stressful and some days are not going to go my way. It is okay to cry,” she said. 

Soberano also says that she pictured her college life to be sipping a caramel macchiato, but in reality she is at home drinking water and watching YouTube.

“College is a whole other level. I value taking breaks and preventing burnouts to fully eliminate the mentality of high school,” Soberano said. 

On the contrary, Jean Bactad, a junior business administration student shares that her college experience is predominantly living up to her expectations.

“I expected my college life would be filled with adventures like last-minute plans and the fulfillment of learning valuable information in my classes,” Bactad said. 

Bactad says that she challenges herself to be in an overload because her expectation is a feeling of fulfillment for her future. She keeps herself busy by meeting up with friends to do homework and refueling herself through overpriced iced coffee. 

Bactad generally spends long hours on campus due to the spread of classes from day to night. 

With many wins, comes many loses, but with many loses, comes greater wins. College can be a handful to go through, but with a bigger mentality and positive surroundings, it can produce a more feasible reality. 

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The University of Guam is home to three stores and cafes that sell a variety of tasty food and drinks. They are strategically placed around UOG for the convenience of the vast number of programs offered at the University.

Crosswalk Cafe is located north of UOG attached to the School of Health building. They offer smoothies, teas, coffee, frappes, sandwiches, freshly cooked meals, and fruit bowls. The cafe has comfortable seating by the front of the store where students can sit down and enjoy their meal, do their work, or catch up with friends.

Gabrielle Gonzaga, a senior majoring in health science says her go-to meal on campus is the Crosswalk Burger and the Shangri La Iced Tea both from the Crosswalk Cafe.

 “I think everyone should try the Crosswalk Burger because they’re really good for their value and they come with fries! It is around $6.95 and it’s been my favorite since I first tried it,” she says. 

Crosswalk Cafe seems to be a top favorite as senior Andrew Hernandez shares his go-to at the Cafe.

 “I recommend trying the Chicken Special at the Crosswalk Cafe! It costs $7.25 and is great for when you have a short gap in between classes, but hungry enough for a meal,” he says. 

Costs are important to most college students. When it comes to cheaper alternatives, Addie Namelo, a junior majoring in business administration shares that he generally buys food out of campus.

“I genuinely enjoy Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag. It is an affordable option if you are on a budget,” Namelo says. 

As a business student, Namelo cannot resist the iced cold and refreshing drinks offered at the Campus Cafe– located at the School of Business and Public Administration building. 

“A drink that I would recommend on campus is the Hokkaido Milk Tea from the Campus Cafe. A regular size is $4.00 and a bigger size is only a 50 cents difference,” said Namelo. “I would also recommend the paninis, both the turkey and ham are both really good,” he says. 

The Triton Store is an option for ready-to-go hot lunches for students who are on the go. With their recent location to the Kubre building, they are located next to the Field House for athletes or for students and staff who drive by that side of the campus. 

For pre-orders to the Crosswalk Cafe, call (671) 735-0247. Follow Campus Cafe’s Instagram account @uogcampuscafe to stay up to date on specials and deals. For more information on the new and improved temporary location of the Triton Store, call (671) 735-2931.

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