2025 New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program grantee DC Shella Cubillas arrived in Taiwan on September 12, 2025, to begin a five-month scholarship aimed at enhancing academic and cultural exchange.
Cubillas, a senior taking a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Filipino under the College of Education (CEd), joins one other Filipino among the program’s 20 international recipients this year.
As a scholar of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she is hosted by National Quemoy University. Her study includes mandatory Mandarin lessons and cultural activities to deepen her immersion, running until January next year.
“Napakalaking oportunidad po ng scholarship na ito sa aking paglalakbay bilang isang mag-aaral. Sabik na akong matuto mula sa NQU at magkaroon ng mas malawak na pang-unawa sa larangan ng edukasyon,” shared Cubillas.
[This scholarship is an enormous opportunity in my journey as a student. I am eager to learn from NQU and gain a broader understanding of the field of education.]
CEd Dean Leo Codilla, PhD, celebrates Cubillas’s inclusion in the 2025 roster and commends her for inspiring more Golden Paddlers to consider studying abroad, whether for short or long terms.
Like more and more Golden Paddlers venturing abroad, Cubillas exemplifies the university’s vision of honing students who uphold SDG 4 (Quality Education) and are ready to meet global demands aligned with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
