When Rommel Hidalgo heard that UOG was in search for a chief information officer, he knew he had to apply for the job.
An individual desire to give something back to UOG, his alma mater, compelled him to return to Guam, despite that he was already serving as an assistant vice president for information technology at California State University-Fullerton.
He was eventually offered the position as UOG’s CIO.
Today, Hidalgo credits his education at UOG to being the key to his success.
“The thing is, I had a very good foundation from the University of Guam,” Hidalgo said.
As a young child, Hidalgo had emigrated from the Philippines to Guam with his family.
Even at a young age, Hidalgo was astute.
When he was in the third grade, his teacher, Mrs. Annie Camacho, saw potential in him after Hidalgo pointed out that the test he was taking had the teacher’s answers on it.
Hidalgo ended up making it into the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program during elementary school.
Years later, Hidalgo graduated in the top-10 percent at Simon Sanchez High School. He was awarded a merit scholarship and decided to attend college in New York.
However, because of financial constraints, he decided to return to Guam, where he eventually earned both a BA in psychology and a MBA from UOG.
He then traveled to California to join his brother who lived there.
Hidalgo attended California State University Fullerton, earning a Master of Science in computer management.
Hidalgo seeks to bring some of his knowledge and experience with technology from his previous job at Cal State-Fullerton to UOG.
As UOG’s new CIO, Hidalgo looks forward to bringing faster internet and better Wi-Fi on campus; increasing access points for Wi-Fi; improving the university’s information system to make it easier for students to schedule their classes; improving software; and automating various manual processes.