“Distance learning at St. John’s has proven to be an
interesting, exciting and challenging opportunity of a lifetime,”
says Ronnie Salgado Jr. ’08G, an alumnus of the Graduate Global
Development and Social Justice distance learning program. Having
recently graduated from the program, Ronnie feels his involvement
has made a lasting impression on his career: “It has provided me
extensive knowledge about global development and social justice, as
well as the experience of working one-on-one with people of
different cultures.”
A Registered Nurse who studied in the distance learning program
while he also worked as a Clinical Instructor for the College of
Nursing of the University of Perpetual Help in the Philippines,
Ronnie feels that the St. John’s program has taught him how to help
people on a larger scale. Born and raised in the Philippines,
Ronnie says his interest in the distance learning program offered
by St. John’s College of Professional Studies first sprung from his
innate desire to help people: “My compassion for people who are
suffering is what stimulated my interest in the program.”
St. John’s distance learning programs utilize virtual classrooms
where students around the world interact with and collaboratively
learn from each other: “Communication among the students and
professors was amazing even though we were all in different parts
of the world. The experience of taking online classes and working
with culturally diverse students has imbued in me the value of
camaraderie.”
To further expand his abilities to help people, Ronnie plans to
study public health at the doctoral level and then work in a public
health program. He has a strong interest in the global development
and public health of the Philippines and feels that his education
from St. John’s global development program has equipped him with
the knowledge to implement social change: “My compassion and
sincere dedication to the development of my country is what
initially attracted me to the program. Now that I’ve completed it,
I feel more empowered than ever to really make a difference.”