The Northern Marianas College reports that most of its newest nursing graduates passed their licensure exam on their first attempt, which it says is a pass rate higher than the previous year’s pass rate.

The Athlete’s Foot is the latest company to sign on as a Northern Marianas College ProaPerks Partner, joining many other businesses and organizations that provide exclusive discounts and benefits for Northern Marianas College students, employees, and alumni.

Individuals who participate in Northern Marianas College's upcoming information session on Thursday, Jan 7., 2021, will qualify to have their NMC Spring 2021 admission application fee and placement test fees waived. The waiver represents a savings of up to $75.

The Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force announced that the CNMI Community-Based Testing Initiative will be temporarily suspended until further notice.

As of September 14, 2020, the CNMI has collected 19,345 specimens for COVID-19 on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. This is approximately 34 percent of the CNMI’s population.

ESTORIAN-MAMI 

Compiled by the NMC Humanities Club

Estorian-Mami, our story, is a student-led campaign aimed at empowering and uplifting voices by allowing Proas to share their story. 

In celebration of CNMI Women’s month, we’ve asked you to share stories about your favorite memories with your moms/mother-figures, sisters, and grandmas. To close out the month, we want to remind you that women are more than just their familial roles–they are leaders, change-makers, and innovators. So we asked you to tell us stories about the strong female-figures in your lives.

Here are those stories: 

I would say my principal whom I've been working with for 1+ years. She is the reason why I aspire to know what to say in dire times. Especially when you don't know what the person is going through, she gets them to talk and understand that if you were to choose the wrong path, it would come with consequences but in a way where the other person doesn't feel offended. I want to be able to speak the way she speaks because we often say things and get taken back with the way we use words, but when we try to take it back, it's already too late. So I would like to shout-out to her for being able to use kind words even when things go south.

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There have been so many inspiring women in my life who I look up to, from the women who raised me to the women who open up avenues for others to success, there are just so many who continue to be the beacons of light in our growing generations of the Marianas. But the woman who I will honor until the end of days, the woman who shaped me into the proud CHamoru I am, is my mother Rosita Terlaje-Pangelinan. My mom was born the youngest of 8 kids to the CHamoru/Refaluwasch family of Tatlahi (Terlaje) in As Terlaje Hill. Her father, my grandfather Tata Jose, was the Chief of Police, overseer of the family farm in As Terlaje, and a strong pillar of motivation for his kids alongside our wise Nana Ninang. They wanted what was best for Mom, but they were afraid that what was best would mean being away from her for a portion of her childhood as she desired higher education in the stateside. Regardless, they worked hard with the help of my mom's sister who was already in the states to get her enrolled in the high schools up there and Mom excelled in all of her classes. She moved on to George Mason University where she got her Bachelor's Degree in Political Sciences. At first, she wanted to follow in Tata's footsteps and become a police officer, but she felt that her services were best applied to the CNMI Women's Affairs Office where she worked long hours to ensure that the department was running smoothly and that the political, socioeconomic, and traditional efforts of the CNMI's women did not go unnoticed. She refused every offer to become head of the department as she always felt that she was needed most at her position as Administrative Officer. Her passion for political sciences and women's affairs was so great that she was chosen as an ambassador for the CNMI to visit Japan's newly established National Women's Center in 2000/2001.

Mom always pushed me and my 3 sisters to strive for excellence but to also make plenty of room for spiritual freedom whether by immersing ourselves in the jungles near our home or spending quality time with family around the island. She was the golden heart of our home and an inspiration to everyone in our family to continue to pursue what we are most passionate about. Her bright soul in life made her passing in 2011 all the more soul-crushing for our family. However, even in death her beautiful passion and inspiration remained in us all. I promised her that I would finish college and become the scientist that she saw in me as a child. In her name and in the name of the CHamoru and Refaluwasch people she loved so dearly, my siblings and I will continue to climb the mountain before us and I encourage all of Taotao Tano here in the CNMI and beyond to do the same.

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One strong female figure in my life is my counselor , Ms.Dawn . She is amazing because she is passionate about helping disability students and always encourages us to reach our full potential. She empowers us to express ourselves confidently and helps us develop critical thinking skills. I'm grateful to have her as a counselor .

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Strong female figures, other than my family, are my coworkers. I believe they're so amazing because we (an all female run school, GTC) do so much for our little community. I feel like we all put our best foot forward and take care of our kids (SPED depart) as if they were our own.

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Shout out to Ms. Lisa Lunde. She always carries a positive vibe and cheers me up when I'm at my lowest. I learned so much from her class and I can confidently say she's the kindest woman I've ever met in my life.

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To my sister-in-law,

I wanted to take a moment to express my deep admiration for the incredible woman you are. Your strength and unwavering patience in raising two sons with autism and a daughter truly amaze me. Your dedication to your family and your role as an advocate for parents, siblings, and children with autism is inspiring.

It’s not just your resilience but the love and care you pour into every aspect of your life that make you extraordinary. Your family’s advocacy work is making a lasting impact, and I’m grateful to witness the positive change you bring to the community.

Thank you for being an amazing woman, a beacon of strength, and a source of inspiration. Your influence on my family’s lives is immeasurable.

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My mother, Peggy N. Haruo, is the strongest female figure in my life. She has been serving the community at the Nutrition Assistance Program for almost 30 years now, and she's still going strong! Through good and bad days, she would always remind me that her motivation in life is my siblings and I. No matter how old my siblings and I get, she goes above and beyond to provide for us and show us love, care, and support. - Jerilynn Bluu Haruo

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My mom. My mom is very resilient and strong. She had gone through some many health issues recently but throughout her difficult journey, she was brave and hopeful. Even when she was at her weakest, she always had a smile on her face and told my siblings and I to always Pray. She is better now and stronger than ever.

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My mom is the strongest woman I know. She lost her brother to a stroke back in 1998. Her older sister was out of the family picture, so it was her job to step up as the second oldest daughter to help fend for herself and her family. Just three months after her brother's death, her sister-in-law left her with her brother's 2 kids. From then, she's worked two to three jobs, almost get no sleep, took care of the kids AND her elder parents, and was always there for her younger siblings as well. She has never had the luxury to take time for herself and always put her family before her. She may not be my biological mother, but she has raised me as her own for 25 years, and I cannot be more thankful and appreciative enough. She has fought and won so many battles. She is and always will be the best mom a girl could ask for, and I wouldn't trade her for the world.