THE Mindanao State University System (MSUS) produced a total of 10,193 graduates in 2023, with 3,517, or 34 percent, marching with Latin honors from its eight autonomous campuses and three former Commission on Higher Education-Supervised Institutions (CSIS).

MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) produced almost half of the students with Latin honors: 1,680: 68 summa cum laude, 906 magna cum laude and 706 cum laude, making up 78.5 percent of a total of 2,141 graduates.

Marawi Main Campus has 13 summa cum laude, 111 magna cum laude and 449 cum laude from a total of 2,349, or 23 percent of the graduates.

The other campus producing a summa cum laude is MSU-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO). It produced 21 magna cum laude and 113 cum laude out of 472 graduates.

MSU-General Santos has 48 magna cum laude and 497 cum laude out of 2,158; MSU-Naawan in Misamis Oriental has 36 magna cum laude and 252 cum laude out of 749; MSU-Buug in Zamboanga Sibugay has six magna cum laude and 86 cum laude out of 375; MSU-Sulu has four magna cum laude and 60 cum laude out of 719; and MSU-Maigo School of Arts and Trade (MSUMSAT) in Lanao del Norte has one magna cum laude and 54 cum laude out of 301.

MSU-Maguindanao has 64 cum laude out of a total of 620 graduates; MSU-Lanao Norte Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC) has 19 cum laude out of 168; and MSU-Lanao National College of Arts and Trade (MSU-LNCAT) has two cum laude out of 141 graduates.

MSU follows the University of the Philippines grading system: 1.00 to 1.24, excellent; 1.25 to 1.49, superior; and 1.50 to 1.74, very good.

MSU was established on Sept. 1, 1961, through Republic Act (RA) 1387, as amended, and was the brainchild of the late senator Domocao Alonto as a government response to the so-called Mindanao Problem.

From one campus, MSU has grown into a multi-university with 12 campuses, including a branch in Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental.

Per its mandate, “MSUS is the only university in the Philippines that integrates the cultural communities, especially the Muslims, into the mainstream of the nation’s sociocultural and political life by providing them with opportunities for quality and relevant public education for their self-development and providing trained manpower skills and technical know-how for the economic development of the Mindanao, Sulu (Basilan and Tawi-Tawi) and Palawan region.”

Freshmen take the mandatory subject “History of the Muslim Filipinos and Indigenous Peoples of Minsupala (Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan)” aimed at mainstreaming Moro and Lumad struggles in Philippine history and making Filipinos understand the culture of the Filipino Muslims and IPs of Mindanao. The subject is intended to be an avenue where stereotypes and other cultural discriminations about Muslims and IPs can be corrected.

MSU-IIT held its 53rd Commencement Ceremonies on July 18, 2023, with President Basari Mapupuno conferring various titles and degrees upon the graduates.

Attended by families, friends, special guests, and faculty members, it was one of the largest in the institution’s history since its integration into MSUS in 1968.

Chancellor Alizedney Ditucalan, the first chancellor to graduate from MSU-IIT, said the university has well-defined objectives and a clear roadmap for its development.

“MSU-IIT has really clear objectives; we have a clear road map for the university. We have outlined the strategic objectives in order for us to continue improving the quality of education and research that we do,” he said, as quoted by the Philippine Information Agency.