Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Spring 2024 Valedictorian MonPatrick Manuel
Texas Southern University's Spring 2024 Valedictorian, MonPatrick Manuel, was born and was raised in a small province Maddela, Quirino, Philippines. He began his educational journey at Saint Vincent elementary school where he graduated Valedictorian. He's an only child of two hard-working nurses, Noriefel Manuel (mother) and Emnesty Manuel (father). Manuel's hobbies include working out, playing volleyball and tennis, exploring the best restaurants around Houston, and photography.
He and his family came to the United States in 2015 when he was 13-years old. They initially moved to Beaumont, Texas so Manuel could attend middle school. He completed his tenure at Marshall Middle School and became a freshman at Westbrook High School. While attending high school, the family decided it was time for a change of scenery and wanted to move to a place bustling with opportunities. They decided on Pearland, Texas and eventually settled down there. Finishing at Shadow Creek HS in 2020 in the middle of COVID-19 Pandemic was an unforeseen and unexpected way to complete that portion of his education, but he did so in the top 10% of his class. Manuel chose Texas Southern University as the place to continue his educational journey and begin his collegiate career with all virtual classes due to the pandemic. However, being able to end his 4-year journey at TSU as the Spring 2024 Valedictorian and being able to celebrate it in-person with his family, friends, and soon-to-be fellow alumni is one monumental experience he has come to appreciate.
At 22-years old, Manuel will be graduating with a BS in Respiratory Therapy and as a 4-year recipient of the University President's Regents Scholarship which allowed him to finish his tenure at TSU and graduate debt-free. Other notable achievements throughout his 4-year journey are as noted
Post-graduate plans for Manuel include working as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) for 2 years, then pursuing a Cardiac Perfusion Program to become a Certified Cardiac Perfusionist.
Manuel's time at TSU was certainly a journey of ups and downs and not simply a straight line connecting point A to B. He struggled to adapt and catch up to his peers being that English is his second language and the difference in culture impacted him in more ways than one. The first year and a half being virtual entailed not only academic struggles, but also physical and mental obstacles for Manuel. It was truly a difficult time. Luckily, he was able to come back in-person to campus just when he was about to begin the professional portion of his program. Aside from the rigorous but enriching academic curriculum associated with his degree, he was able to do clinical rotations through a diverse population of hospitals (Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann TIRR, Memorial Hermann Children's, Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular Institute, and St. Luke's Chi) that includes acute care, intensive care, rehabilitation care, and many more. The variety in these experiences cemented his passion for this profession. It was even more engulfed when he completed his internship with Memorial Hermann TMC, where he was able to work more independently and hone in on his skills to ensure he was prepared to enter the field post graduation. Manuel completed at least 200 hours through different units with the assistance of his preceptors and the Respiratory Therapists that are also TSU alums which made it easier for him to connect with other members of the Tiger family.
Outside of the BSRT program, Manuel attended another institution while serving as a full-time student at TSU and having a part-time retail job. He was able to get an associate degree in Life Sciences from San Jacinto Community College in 2021 and worked as a tutor for a program sponsored by a scholarship grant where he assisted freshman students achieve enough hours to be granted sophomore status. He then pursued a Community Health Worker internship with CBMHR that focused on helping people with socioeconomic needs by providing resources already available to them.
MonPatrick Manuel's journey to becoming this year's valedictorian is a narrative steeped in hard work, unyielding dedication, and an insatiable quest for knowledge. From the outset of his academic career, Manuel has consistently set high standards for himself, not just aiming to excel academically, but also striving to make meaningful connections and contributions to the tiger community. His dedication to his studies is unparalleled; he has not only mastered complex concepts across various studies, but has also sought to apply this knowledge in ways that benefit those around him. This blend of academic prowess and a genuine desire to contribute to the greater good makes him the quintessential candidate for this year's Spring Valedictorian honor.
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