A 21-year-old Pangasinense told himself he would not have his graduation picture taken until he passes the Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination. He’s definitely taking his picture because he not only passed the board exam but topped it… and he got the biggest surprise of his life.

Nathaniel Beaver Mendoza from Barangay Nagpalangan, Binmaley, who earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering at the St. Louis University, Baguio City in May 2020, made it to the number one spot with his 90.05 percent rating affirmed by the Professional Regulation Commission on Aug. 24.

Out of the 621 examinees, 247 passed the exam whose results were out in six working days after the last day of examinations.

Mendoza said he felt what is known as impostor syndrome, fearing that it might have been a mistake and he would be exposed as a “fraud.

“…when I saw the result, I questioned if it was really me… I felt I had to have the result rechecked many times,” he said.

Mendoza graduated cum laude and the pandemic gave him enough time to prepare for his exam, especially that it was re-scheduled twice.

He said a friend alerted him about the result but he did not believe it initially because it could be a prank. But he said he gave his best to pass because he did not want to have to take it a second time.

He and his family screamed out of joy. “It’s my way of honoring my parents’ sacrifices. It’s no joke spending for my college education especially that I was away from them,” he said.

He said he was not an honor student in Pangasinan National High School for his secondary education but focused his time and attention in his studies in college.

He finally had his picture taken on Wednesday in a studio in Dagupan City because media outlets asked for it after interviewing him while others wanted to honor him with congratulatory messages on tarps and in social media with his picture in it

He felt embarrassed the first time he saw the tarps hanging on posts and fences in the town with his face on it. But Mendoza’s profile picture in his Facebook page is a wacky pose. “I’m camera shy,” he quipped.

Nathaniel is the eldest among three siblings. Their parents, Nick Mendoza is a school principal in Sta. Barbara town while their mom, Elizabeth Mendoza, is also a public school teacher in Binmaley.

He said having good friends as classmates worked well for him because they helped each other in their lessons and during regular review sessions.

He admitted preparing hard for the board exam particularly in the last two weeks prior to the exams while conscious not to be burned out.

The other topnotcher Pangasinense aside from Mendoza is Emmanuel Villasin from Lingayen whose rating in the exam was 88.50%.

Notably and in sum, this year’s board exam saw 7 of St. Louis University as topnotchers. (Eva Visperas)

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