LSI Programming Proved Invaluable For National Education Leader In The Philippines

Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong, one of the leading experts in developing community college frameworks, has been sworn in as the new special adviser for Local Colleges and Universities by the Commission on Higher Education in the Philippines. Aguilar-Ong is an alumnus of Florida State University's Learning Systems Institute (LSI) Community College Administrators Program (CCAP) and was a visiting Fulbright Scholar at LSI. 

Aguilar-Ong's appointment as a special adviser is expected to foster growth and improvement among local colleges and Universities across the Philippines, leveraging her extensive experience and strategic insights. Her role will be pivotal in shaping higher education policies and initiatives that aim to elevate the standards and performance of local colleges in the Philippines.

"FSU's Learning Systems Institute has been pivotal in my journey to this new role," said Aguilar-Ong. "The support from initiatives like CCAP and the mentorship from the incredible individuals at FSU and LSI have been invaluable. My special thanks to Dr. Jeffrey Milligan and Dr. Vilma Fuentes for their unwavering support from the CCAP days through to the Fulbright period."

Under Aguilar-Ong's leadership, Mabalacat City College (MCC) became the first community college in the Philippines. She introduced innovative programs that have significantly enhanced MCC's reputation, making it one of the most benchmarked institutions in the country. These programs emphasize technological innovation, student support services, workforce development, internationalization and an enriching academic experience.

MCC is the only local college in the Philippines to earn a spot in both the World University Rankings Impact (WURi) and the Times Impact Higher Rankings in 2024. It is also the only local college ever mentioned in a State of the Nation Address by a Philippine President in the country's history. This recognition underscores MCC's remarkable progress and impact within the academic landscape.

"I came to FSU two years ago under the Community College Administrators Program," Aguilar-Ong said. "That's when I learned about community colleges from the academic perspective, including student support services and how to partner with industries. I learned a lot. It changed the course of Mabalacat City College.

"It was really eye-opening for me. This is the framework that could make a difference in every community in the Philippines because the profile of students who go to community colleges is the profile of students who go to local colleges in the Philippines."

LSI is at the forefront of developing innovative solutions that bridge theory and practice in education. Our experts' advanced research provides state-of-the-art methods and a clear path for implementation. For 55 years, LSI has delivered systems that measurably improve the learning and performance of organizations and individuals in Florida and worldwide.