A Filipino student has graduated summa cum laude with a perfect GPA of 4.00 from Yale University, one of the prestigious Ivy League schools in the United States.
Dion Stephan Ong, 21, was among the approximately 4,400 graduates who received their degrees during Yale’s 323rd Commencement ceremony on May 20 at the Old Campus in New Haven, Connecticut. Ong earned a combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Computer Science, a program offered for “exceptionally able and well-prepared students,” according to Yale.
In addition to his summa cum laude honors, Ong received the Distinction in the Major award and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the US’ most prestigious honor society. He also received the Yale Science & Engineering Association Senior of Distinction award and led the Yale team at the 2021 International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals, earning honorable mention.
“Dion, a huge congratulations! This is one of those moments that highlights the profound joy of motherhood. We couldn’t be prouder to have witnessed you grow and excel beyond our expectations. Looking forward to what is to come,” his mother, Bryde, posted on Facebook.
Ong shared his thoughts in a Manila Bulletin report on his academic journey and future plans. Reflecting on his summa cum laude achievement, he said, “I feel very blessed to receive this honor. It represents a lot of the hard work and dedication that I put into my studies.” He added, “I feel very privileged to have the chance to study at Yale because more than my grades, it’s the people and activities that I experienced at Yale that made my stay worthwhile.”
Ong advised Filipino students aspiring to study at Yale to highlight their character in addition to academic excellence in their applications. “Yale looks for well-rounded and multifaceted individuals. Aside from pursuing academics, it’s worthwhile highlighting the sort of character that Yale looks for in its students,” he said.
Following his graduation, Ong will work as a core engineer at Hudson River Trading in New York City. “I plan to stay there for the next few or so years,” he mentioned.
Ong’s journey at Yale began in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, which posed significant challenges as classes were conducted online. Despite these difficulties, he persevered with the support of his family and made lasting connections once on campus.
“Well, of course, it was, I guess, a mix of happy and sad,” Ong said about marching during the commencement ceremony. “Happy in the sense that I felt extremely rewarded for my hard work but at the same time there was a sense of sadness because I’ve been saying goodbye to a lot of the friends I made at Yale. I really enjoyed my time at Yale.”
